Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest Report

Scorers: Madueke 57’; Wood 50’

Red Card: Ward-Prowse 78’

Nottingham Forest earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, ending a run of four consecutive Premier League defeats in London. Despite Chelsea’s control of possession and chances, Forest put up a resilient fight to leave the capital with a point.

First Half: Chelsea Dominant but Wasteful

Chelsea entered the match in high spirits after five consecutive wins across all competitions. However, with Forest’s resolute defence and a league-low 11 goals in their opening five PL matches, it was no surprise that the opening stages were quiet.

Chelsea’s Noni Madueke posed the biggest threat in the first half, coming close with a curling shot that narrowly missed the top-left corner.

The final minutes of the half brought a flurry of action. Madueke burst into the box and set up Cole Palmer, whose deflected effort struck the post, with Forest goalkeeper Mats Sels scrambling to clear the ball off the line.

Moments later, Ryan Yates nearly gave Forest the lead, but Wesley Fofana made a crucial block to keep the game goalless at halftime.

Second Half: Quick Goals and Late Drama

The deadlock was broken shortly after the restart when Forest took the lead. James Ward-Prowse’s precise set-piece delivery found Nikola Milenković, who headed the ball down for Chris Wood to slide in and finish at the far post.

However, Chelsea responded just seven minutes later as Madueke continued to be their main attacking threat, cutting in from the right and burying a low shot into the bottom corner to equalise.

With the momentum shifting in their favour, Chelsea pressed for a winning goal that would bolster their status as one of the league’s top-scoring teams.

However, their efforts were complicated when Ward-Prowse received a second yellow card with just under 15 minutes remaining, handling the ball to stop a Nicolas Jackson breakaway and leaving Forest with ten men.

Chelsea nearly capitalised on their numerical advantage when Mats Sels produced a brilliant double save to deny Palmer. In the 13 minutes of stoppage time, chances came thick and fast, with João Félix and Christopher Nkunku missing opportunities for the Blues.

At the other end, Neco Williams missed a golden chance for Forest. Chelsea were left relying on their keeper, Robert Sánchez, who made a stunning save at the death to deny Jota Silva and secure a point.

Forest’s Resilience and Chelsea’s Attacking Frustration

Despite being down to ten men, Forest held firm and earned a draw, lifting them into the top half of the table in ninth. For Chelsea, who remain in the top four, the draw represents a missed opportunity to close in on the league’s top scorers and climb further up the standings.

Conclusion

In a game full of twists and turns, both Nottingham Forest and Chelsea had their chances to win, but the 1-1 draw reflects the balance of play.

Forest’s resilience and defensive effort secured a valuable point, while Chelsea will look to turn their dominance into wins in future fixtures as they continue their top-four push.

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Chelsea v Nottm Forest, 2024/25 | Premier League