Matz Sels was Nottingham Forest’s penalty hero yet again as they reached the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 34 years.
The Belgian goalkeeper saved spot-kicks from Jack Hinshelwood and Diego Gomez as Forest beat Brighton 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw at the Amex Stadium.
Sels had previously made crucial saves in the shoot-outs against Exeter and Ipswich in the previous two rounds.
This time he had Forest partying like it was 1991, the last time they reached the last four of the competition under Brian Clough.
Stuart Pearce was in that side, and he was on radio commentary duty at the Amex and looking in fine fettle following his recent health scare.
Pearce knew a thing or two about penalty shoot-outs so he would have enjoyed the climax, if not the 120 minutes that preceded it.
Brighton had most of the ball yet were doing very little with it, and Forest were happy to let them.
Certainly this was not going to be a repeat of Forest’s 7-0 win over Brighton in last month’s Premier League fixture, but the visitors did create the first opening after 15 minutes when Ola Aina slipped Chris Wood’s replacement, Taiwo Awoniyi, in behind.
The striker’s angled shot was blocked by the legs of Seagulls keeper Bart Verbruggen, with Neco Williams unable to convert the rebound.
At the other end Yasin Ayari took aim from the edge of the box and his drive looked destined for the bottom corner until Murillo stuck out a heel and deflected it wide.
Pervis Estupinan hit a swerving 25-yard effort which dipped in front of Sels, forcing the Forest keeper into an unorthodox save.
Still all square but Albion are pushing hard! 😤 pic.twitter.com/Nwkgs0EiM5
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) March 29, 2025
After the break, Brighton’s Georginio Rutter fired narrowly over from a corner and Hinshelwood headed another wide, while Verbruggen tipped a Morgan Gibbs-White piledriver over.
Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga came on after an hour to pep things up, and within three minutes Forest had been awarded a penalty.
Kaoru Mitoma slid in on Elliot Anderson, catching the midfielder’s foot with his elbow and bringing him down.
Referee Peter Bankes pointed to the spot but then overturned his decision after a look at the pitchside monitor, deciding there was insufficient contact.
Who else but Mr. @NFFC?
Ryan Yates sends Nottingham Forest to Wembley 🏆#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/8TU2jacGwf
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) March 29, 2025
Gibbs-White then sent Elanga scampering through but Verbruggen was out sharply to block his effort.
Brighton were clinging on as extra time approached with Gibbs-White inches from converting Elanga’s cross at the far post, and in stoppage time the England hopeful’s goalbound header was hacked clear by Jan Paul van Hecke.
Extra time came and went with a header from Gomez pushed over by Sels the closest anyone came to forcing a winner.
In the shoot-out Sels saved from Hinshelwood, and although Williams blazed over, the visiting keeper blocked from Gomez before skipper Ryan Yates sent Forest through.
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