Brighton 0-0 Nottingham Forest (3-4 on pens): High-flying Forest win third straight FA Cup penalty shootout to reach semi-finals in dream season

After the last game between these teams, Fabian Hurzeler set fire to his tactics sheet. After this one, the BBC might have considered burning the tape were it not for the compelling brutality of penalty shootouts and the inevitability of Nottingham Forest winning them. 

For the third consecutive round of the FA Cup, Nuno Espirito Santo was forced to stand by and watch as his side spun the chamber of the pistol, and as with the previous two it went their way.

To Exeter City and Ipswich Town, we can now add Brighton in the list of sides who have come close to stopping the red train only to lose in exact same manner. Forest’s reward is a first FA Cup semi-final since 1991.

The hero of the latest victory was Matz Sels who, courtesy of a dull match, had little to do in the previous couple of hours. But in the shootout, he was immense, saving kicks from Jack Hinshelwood and Diego Gomez, setting the table for Ryan Yates to nail the winner.

For Brighton and Hurzeler, there was none of the humiliation associated with their 7-0 defeat against Forest two months ago. Nor was there a third semi-final in this competition in the space of six years.

As for Forest and Nuno, their season was going nicely enough in the league without the need for shiny cups. But they now have grand possibilities on two fronts, even if the suspicion persists that a Cup run is lower on the agenda than a Champions League place.

Ryan Yates scored the decisive spot-kick in the shootout after Matz Sels saved two

Youngster Jack Hinshelwood saw his low effort kept out by Sels in front of Brighton’s fans

That much was suggested by Nuno’s selection here, or rather through two of the three changes he made to the side which beat Ipswich before the break.

The absence of Chris Wood was forced by his injury during international duty, but the decisions to put Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga on the bench hinted at priorities being placed on the league for the time-being.

Commenting on television at half-time, Wayne Rooney articulated a common sentiment, saying: ‘I am shocked. The FA Cup is such a prestigious tournament and (he is) resting players in a quarter-final when you’ve a great opportunity to get to a semi-final. It’s beyond belief for me.’

Diminished or otherwise, Nuno’s team found this one substantially tougher than the previous gathering of these players. That being said, it was never going to be so easy second time round.

Where Forest led 3-0 after 32 minutes in February, by half-time here it was goalless, with little worth terming as a good chance.

Taiwo Awoniyi, in for the injured Wood, had the best of them when Jan Paul van Hecke misread the deflection off a through-ball from Ola Aina and gave the striker a tiny window to shoot for the far post. 

Bart Verbruggen was comfortable enough in saving with his feet.

At the other end, Yasin Ayari was a fraction wide from 25 yards and Pervis Estupinan had a go from even further out. An awkward bounce in front of Sels and his initial spill brought more drama to the moment than necessary.

Forest were controversially awarded a penalty after a handball from Kaoru Mitoma

But referee Peter Bankes overturned his decision after being advised to check his monitor

Taiwo Awoniyi’s low strike looked to be heading in before Bart Verbruggen pushed it away

Pervis Estupinan’s effort from distance dipped viciously before being parried away by Sels

Morgan Gibbs-White tested Verbruggen as both sides exchanged efforts in the first half

Anthony Elanga was released in behind but Verbruggen narrowed the angle to save 

Brighton suffered an injury blow in the second half after Georginio Rutter was forced off

Joao Pedro looked to have won it in extra-time but his finish was chalked off for offside

Keeping to the theme of Brighton shooting on sight, Carlos Baleba also took a swing from around 25 yards a few minutes before the break, but to the same outcome as Ayari. The sole point of difference was it smashed a cameraman’s lens behind the goal.

At the risk of being facetious, we might suggest that was mercy for his memory card – this was one of those halves. There were plenty of quick-footed rotations in midfield and almost no line-breakers, with both sides looking to hit on the counter and neither leaving enough of a straggly edge to pull at.

Neither manager made a change at the break, though the second period was immediately more entertaining. Georginio Rutter set the pace by grazing the bar and Hinshelwood botched a free header soon after, signalling that Brighton were waking up.

In response, Verbruggen had to tip over a drive from Morgan Gibbs-White before an odd decision to rescind a Forest penalty. The source of the issue was a wild lunge from Kaoru Mitoma that missed both the ball and Elliot Anderson, but his arm appeared to swipe away the midfielder’s standing foot as he went to ground.

Peter Bankes gave a penalty but was referred to the screen by the VAR and changed his mind. Quite why that would be is anyone’s guess. Bizarre.

In amidst those surges, Nuno sent on Hudson-Odoi and Elanga and the latter was a gentle deflection away from teeing up Gibbs-White for a tap in. Forest’s pace and punch were noticeably upgraded, but not enough to avoid extra-time.

Going into the added half-hour, Hurzeler took off Adam Webster, with a strained hamstring too much of a risk against Elanga’s speed, and it was Brighton who achieved a light grip on the game. 

A Gomez header in the second period, nudged over by Sels, was the closest they came, barring a Joao Pedro goal correctly disallowed for offside.