Nottingham, March 8 (IANS) Nottingham Forest made a statement in their pursuit of Champions League qualification, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Manchester City at The City Ground on Saturday.
A late strike from Callum Hudson-Odoi sealed the win for Forest, leaving Pep Guardiola’s side with nothing to show for a performance in which they had the better of the chances.
The match began with a moment of reflection as Forest fans showed their support for former captain Stuart Pearce, who had fallen ill ahead of the game. The early stages were evenly matched, but it was City who quickly settled into their rhythm, creating the first real chance in the seventh minute. Erling Haaland seized on a mistake by Chris Wood, but his right-footed shot from outside the box narrowly missed the target.
Just minutes later, City’s Nicolas Gonzalez came close with a 25-yard drive that flew wide of Matz Sels’ goal. Forest, meanwhile, struggled to create clear-cut opportunities, but they were resolute in defence. As the first half wore on, City continued to look dangerous, with Jeremy Doku forcing a save from Sels with a powerful strike, while Bernardo Silva squandered a good opportunity, firing over from an unmarked position inside the box.
For all of City’s dominance, Forest remained compact, limiting the visitors to long-range efforts. Morgan Gibbs-White’s miscued strike and Chris Wood’s failed attempt to chip Ederson were the closest Forest came to testing the City goalkeeper in the opening 45 minutes.
The second half saw a change in momentum, with Forest coming out of the blocks quickly. On 50 minutes, Anthony Elanga’s deep cross found Gibbs-White, whose volley was comfortably gathered by Ederson. The Reds’ pressing game was evident, and they began to create more problems for City’s backline. Forest’s intensity paid off in the 66th minute when Hudson-Odoi’s rocket from the left side of the box forced Ederson into a stunning save, pushing the ball onto the post.
Despite City making changes, introducing the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Mateo Kovacic to add fresh legs and creativity, they struggled to find their rhythm in the final third.
With the game seemingly heading for a draw, Forest found their breakthrough in the 83rd minute. A pinpoint cross-field ball from Gibbs-White found Hudson-Odoi, who expertly controlled the ball before driving a low shot past Ederson at his near post. The City Ground erupted as Forest took a deserved lead, having worked tirelessly throughout the match.
In the end, it was a famous win for Forest, securing their first victory over Manchester City since their return to the Premier League in 2022.
Forest’s victory sees them move four points clear of City in the Premier League table, solidifying their position in the Champions League spots with just ten games remaining.
–IANS
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