West Ham vs Nottingham Forest Report

Scorers: Bowen 86’; Gibbs-White 11’, Milenkovic 61’

Nottingham Forest kept their UEFA Champions League qualification hopes alive on the penultimate weekend of the Premier League season, as a gritty 2-1 victory over West Ham United ended a four-game winless streak and set up a final-day showdown with Chelsea.

First Half – Areola Error Gifts Forest the Lead

Knowing anything less than victory might end their top-five ambitions, Forest started on edge and were lucky not to concede inside two minutes. Tomáš Souček’s thumping header forced Matz Sels into a superb reaction save, underlining the early intensity from the hosts. But Forest responded swiftly, nearly taking the lead themselves through Morgan Gibbs-White, whose close-range volley was brilliantly denied by Alphonse Areola’s legs.

However, Areola’s fine start quickly turned sour. The West Ham keeper played a poor pass to Guido Rodríguez under pressure, allowing Gibbs-White to intercept and slot into an empty net. Despite a quiet spell following the goal, Forest remained dangerous and could have doubled their advantage before HT, but Areola redeemed himself with another key stop from Chris Wood’s powerful strike.

Second Half – VAR Drama and Late Pressure

A bizarre moment followed at the interval, as Forest centre-back Murillo was stretchered off yet returned dramatically for the second half. It was his partner Nikola Milenković who had the decisive impact, guiding home Anthony Elanga’s cross just after the break. A six-minute VAR review for a potential offside eventually confirmed the goal, giving Forest a crucial two-goal cushion.

That second goal finally sparked West Ham into life. They pushed forward in the final 20 minutes, with Neco Williams making a stunning last-ditch block to deny Luis Guilherme what seemed a certain goal. Forest boss Nuno Espírito Santo looked to secure the result by switching to a back five, but the tactic nearly backfired. Substitute Marato’s mishit clearance fell to Jarrod Bowen, who took a touch and rifled an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

West Ham poured forward in the closing stages, and the sight of 11 minutes of added time raised nerves among the travelling fans. Yet Forest held firm, surviving the late onslaught to record a priceless win that ensures their Champions League dream will go to the final day.

Conclusion – Forest Set Up Final-Day Decider, Hammers Drift to Season’s End

With the three points in the bag, Nottingham Forest head into their last game knowing a win over Chelsea could seal a historic top-five finish. West Ham, meanwhile, have little left to play for, with mid-table obscurity all but guaranteed as their underwhelming season nears its end.

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West Ham v Nott’m Forest, 2024/25 | Premier League