Nottingham Forest 1 Ipswich 1 (5-4 pens): Sels the hero in shootout to set up FA Cup quarter-final with Brighton
MATZ SELS was Nottingham Forest’s penalty shoot-out hero again as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side booked a quarter final tie at Brighton.
And it was a SECOND shoot-out miss for Ipswich’s Jack Taylor who also failed to score from the spot in the Carabao Cup this season.
Ipswich took the lead through George Hirst’s header only for Forest skipper Ryan Yates to equalise.
Extra-time could not separate the sides and Forest went to their second successive penalty shoot-out in the competition.
And Nuno’s side did not miss – with Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White, Elliot Anderson, Neco Williams and Callum Hudson-Odoi all converting their spot kicks.
That put the heat on Taylor again – but his penalty was saved by the Premier League’s top keeper Sels.
The Belgian also saved his side in the previous round’s penalty shoot-out at Exeter.
It means Forest are in the last eight of the Cup for only the second time in 29 years.
After a turgid first half, the game exploded into life after the break with Hirst heading Ipswich ahead from a corner.
Yates brought Nuno Espirito Santo’s men back level and was agonisingly ruled offside as it looked as though he had wrapped the game up with his second goal.
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There was controversy in extra time as Ipswich sub Liam Delap was brought down by Forest defender Murillo as he raced in on goal – ref Tony Harrington gave nothing.
England boss Thomas Tuchel was at the City Ground to cast his eye over candidates for this month’s Three Lions internationals against Albania and Latvia.
But of the two starting line-ups, only Hudson-Odoi would be a realistic pick for future squads.
Tuchel managed Hudson-Odoi during the player’s injury-hit time at Stamford Bridge – and the ex-Chelsea man impressed as he looked a threat and hit the bar.
But the arrival of subs Gibbs-White and Anderson, just before the hour, would have given him food for thought – along with late Ipswich sub Liam Delap.
Forest made six changes for the tie – but Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna clearly wanted to rest players for the Premier League relegation battle ahead.
However, with the tie going the distance, neither side could rest.
McKenna made eight changes but Forest pressed early for a goal – maybe with memories of the Exeter tie still fresh in their memories.
Forest looked sharp again after the break though – and Hudson-Odoi set up Anthony Elanga forced Tractor Boys keeper Alex Palmer into a save, low down to his right.
But Ipswich skipper Sam Morsy came close to opening the scoring with a powerful drive from 25 yards that Forest keeper Sels did well to tip over the bar.
The resulting corner went much better for McKenna’s men after 53 minutes.
Ben Johnson’s corner found Hirst at the far post and his header found the net through Sels’ legs.
The goal came in front of the travelling Suffolk fans who sensed the chance to stun Forest on their own turf.
But Forest levelled it up with 22 minutes left – and perhaps it was the sight of top scorer Wood preparing to come off the bench.
Forest fans were already singing his name as Elanga delivered a pinpoint cross into the Ipswich area.
Yates was on hand to head home and Nuno’s side were suddenly back in the game.
And Wood was told to return to the bench with his services put on hold.
The game had opened up and the home fans then urged Brazilian defender Murillo to shoot. He did just that, bringing a superb save from Palmer.
Wood did eventually come on with eight minutes to go as Nuno, as in the last round, needed his big guns on the field.
But Hudson-Odoi almost gave Forest the lead when he cut on from the left and produced a shot which clipped the crossbar.
The game was halted after a clash of heads between Yates and Jacob Greaves left the Ipswich sub with blood dripping from a facial wound.