Brighton 0-0 Nottingham Forest (aet, 3-4 pens): Sels´ shoot-out heroics seal Wembley trip

Matz Sels was Nottingham Forest’s hero as they beat Brighton 4-3 on penalties to reach the FA Cup semi-finals, following a goalless draw at the Amex.

Sels saved from Jack Hinshelwood and Diego Gomez during the shootout, before Ryan Yates fired home the decisive spot-kick to take Forest to Wembley.

Both sides went close in the first half. Bart Verbruggen thwarted Taiwo Awoniyi from a tight angle, while Carlos Baleba fired narrowly wide at the other end.

Forest were awarded a penalty in the 63rd minute when Elliot Anderson went down under pressure from Kaoru Mitoma. However, the initial decision was overturned following a VAR review.

Brighton turned up the pressure in extra-time. Substitute Diego Gomez saw a header superbly saved by Matz Sels, while Joao Pedro was denied by the offside flag as a penalty shootout beckoned.

This was Forest’s third in this season’s FA Cup and, after four successful kicks, Sels guessed correctly to keep out Hinshelwood.

Although Neco Williams subsequently fired the next penalty over, the visitors regained their advantage when Gomez’s powerful effort was blocked again by Sels.

Nikola Milenkovic and Lewis Dunk both converted to leave match point in the hands of Yates, who made no mistake to send Forest through to the last four.

WE’RE GOING TO WEMBLEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) March 29, 2025

Data Debrief: History-making Forest preserve perfect penalty record

After losing their last three FA Cup quarter-finals, Forest are through to their first semi-final since they were runners-up to Tottenham in the 1990-91 season.

Having also beaten Exeter City and Ipswich Town via the same method earlier this season, the Tricky Trees are the first team to win three penalty shoot-outs in a single FA Cup campaign.

In fact, Forest have now won all five of their penalty shoot-outs in this competition, meaning they boast the joint-most successful record in FA Cup history, matching Macclesfield Town and Stevenage (also won five of five).

By contrast, Brighton have now lost four successive shoot-outs in all competitions for the first time in their history.

Forest will feel they just about deserved to go through, though. Each team had 13 shots across the 120 minutes, but Nuno Espirito Santo’s team generated the higher expected goals figure (1.66 to 0.96), showing they created the better opportunities.