Nottingham Forest struck a significant blow in their unlikely bid to qualify for the Champions League as they ended Brentford’s unbeaten Premier League home record with a 2-0 win at the Gtech Community Stadium.
It was a third victory in a row for Nuno Espirito Santo’s team, whose credentials for a possible top-four finish are growing harder to ignore, and the confident, assured manner in which they dealt with Brentford – previously untouchable on this ground – only reinforced that sentiment.
Ola Aina swept home late in the first half to hand Forest the lead after they had survived some nervous wobbles in defence.
World-famous model Claudia Schiffer was in attendance in west London and she witnessed more ghastly defending in the second half when Keane Lewis-Potter presented the ball to Anthony Elanga, who finished unerringly for 2-0.
Brentford had seven wins from eight here and did not give up their proud record lightly. There might have been a tighter finish to things had Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels not produced one of the saves of the season to keep out Kristoffer Ajer midway through the second half, but despite the Bees’ busy industry to try and salvage a point, Forest’s greater quality told.
The hosts had actually made the brighter start. Bryan Mbeumo scooped a ball in behind Forest for Yoane Wissa, who raced onto to it and cut back for Mikkel Damsgaard to shoot, his effort palmed behind by Sels. Mbeumo was creator again minutes later with a high back-post cross that was headed just wide by Ajer.
Forest created chaos in their own box when Murillo missed his kick and Morato skewed the resulting clearance straight up in the air. As it dropped, the defender failed to effectively challenge Wissa, who manoeuvred his way onto the ball and volleyed over.
Mark Flekken produced a fabulous one-handed save to deny Chris Wood, though the Forest striker ought to have aimed his free header further from the goalkeeper’s reach.
Forest took the lead seven minutes before half-time. Callum Hudson-Odoi cruised into space in front of the defence and slipped the ball wide to Neco Williams. He stood up Ajer before pulling a driven cross back towards Wood, who swung at fresh air – but arriving in his wake was Aina to sweep it into the bottom corner.
Brentford had trailed three times at home this season and each time had come back to win. Forest meanwhile were looking to become the first side to leave the Gtech Stadium with a clean sheet, knowing that third place in the table – for a few hours at least – beckoned if they could hold on.
Six minutes into the second half, Brentford’s unbeaten home record fell under more serious threat. Lewis-Potter’s control was poor as he took down a high Forest ball over the top, and there to steal it from him was Elanga, who cut in-field before sending a cool finish bending low beyond the reach of Flekken.
Sels denied Ajer with an outstanding save as the defender volleyed at goal from Mbeumo’s header, a remarkable piece of reflex goalkeeping to preserve Forest’s two-goal lead as their European dreams drew into sharper focus.
