Nottingham Forest don win 1-0 against Aston Villa for di first leg of Europa League semi-final for City Ground. Chris Wood score from penalty for di 71st minute after Lucas Digne handball wey VAR confirm say di ball no cross di line completely.
Di match na tight affair. Forest get chance early when Emi Martinez make brilliant save to deny Igor Jesus for di 33rd minute. Di Villa goalkeeper claw di ball off di line like magic.
Villa also get dia own opportunities. Stefan Ortega save from Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers before half-time, and later keep out Ollie Watkins instinctive effort.
But di controversy come when Elliot Anderson challenge on Watkins for di first half no result for red card. Aston Villa manager Unai Emery vex say: “Fantastic di referee, fantastic. But di VAR so so bad. E be clear red card, I no understand why VAR no call di referee. E be huge mistake.”
Emery add: “I watch am back – wow. Huge. E fit break im ankle. VAR where you dey? E be your responsibility.”
Forest manager Vitor Pereira talk say im side play well tactically. “I ask my players to play four against four with one midfielder jumping. I dey proud we play our way, pressing high but reorganise if dem attack.”
Pereira also praise di supporters: “Di supporters, fantastic. Dem help us a lot. Next time we face big battle. I dey very proud of my players.”
Chris Wood, wey score di winning penalty, talk: “E be one leg of di tie. E nice to get advantage but going to Villa Park go be tough game. Dem dey good for dia place. But we don do di job here at home.”
Di striker wey don score im 200th career goal add: “Di penalty na my responsibility. I try to do my job for di team. I want to get back fit and firing to help di team for di end of di season.”
Di victory extend Forest unbeaten run to nine games for all competitions – dia best run of di season. Dem no need to win for Villa Park for di second leg next week.
Villa, wey dey chase dia first major trophy in 30 years, now need to overcome deficit. Emery, wey don win Europa League four times, suffer only im second defeat for im last 28 games for di competition.
Di tie still open. Forest go face Chelsea on Monday before di return leg, while Villa go host Tottenham on Sunday before di second leg on Thursday.
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