Brighton vs Nottingham Forest Report

Scorers: Hinshelwood 42’, Welbeck 45’; Wood 13 (P)’, Sosa 70’

Brighton & Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest played out an exciting 2-2 draw at the Amex Stadium, extending both teams’ unbeaten starts to the Premier League (PL) season.

Early Drama as Forest Take the Lead

Despite Brighton’s solid defensive record, having conceded just two goals in their first four PL games, it was a surprise to see Nottingham Forest break through so early.

In just the 13th minute, a clumsy challenge from Carlos Baleba brought down Callum Hudson-Odoi in the box, allowing Chris Wood to convert the penalty and give Forest the lead.

Wood had the chance to double his tally soon after, but his close-range effort missed the target. However, the offside flag spared him further embarrassment.

Brighton Respond with Two Quickfire Goals Before Halftime

Brighton struggled to impose themselves for much of the first half, as Nottingham Forest looked the better side. However, just before the break, two moments of quality shifted the momentum in favor of the home team.

Jack Hinshelwood, playing in midfield instead of his usual full-back role, powered a bullet header past Mats Sels from a Jan Paul van Hecke cross in the 42nd minute.

Forest barely had time to regroup before Danny Welbeck stepped up and whipped a free-kick past the unsighted Sels, handing Brighton a 2-1 lead going into halftime.

Second Half: Forest Equalise Against the Run of Play

Looking for a way back into the game, Forest manager Nuno Espírito Santo made three substitutions at the start of the second half.

Despite this, Brighton almost extended their lead when Welbeck, buoyed by his earlier goal, weaved through Forest’s defence, forcing Sels into a crucial close-range save.

Just as Brighton looked to be in control, Forest equalised against the run of play 20 minutes from time.

Two substitutes combined for the goal, with Jota Silva racing through on goal before squaring the ball to Ramón Sosa for a simple tap-in, marking Sosa’s first goal for Nottingham Forest.

Late Drama and a Tense Finish

As the match entered its final stages, Forest found themselves down to 10 men after Morgan Gibbs-White received a second yellow card.

To make matters worse, manager Nuno Espírito Santo was also shown a red card for his reaction to the decision.

 Despite being a man down, Forest managed to mount a late counterattack, while Brighton had a promising chance of their own through a looping header from Lewis Dunk.

In the end, neither side could find a winning goal, with the match finishing 2-2. The result sees Brighton extend their unbeaten start to the season, marking the first time they have gone five games undefeated in the top flight.

For Nottingham Forest, a point away from home reinforces their strong start to the campaign, following last weekend’s shock win over Liverpool.

Conclusion

This entertaining 2-2 draw leaves both Brighton & Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest on nine points from five games, keeping Brighton in seventh place and Nottingham Forest moving further away from last season’s relegation concerns.

With both sides showing resilience and attacking intent, this match offered plenty of excitement and tactical intrigue for fans and neutrals alike.

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Brighton v Nottm Forest, 2024/25 | Premier League