Nottingham Forest is heading inexorably towards Champions League participation in the 2025/26 season: Seven strong minutes were enough for the surprise team of the season in the 4-2 win at Ipswich.
Some fans will probably rub their eyes in disbelief when it comes to the Champions League participants from the Premier League next season. Because by now, it would be a big surprise if Nottingham Forest did not make it into the premier league. On Saturday, seven strong minutes were enough to take any hope away from newly promoted Ipswich.
When the third-best away team in the league visits the second-worst home team, a certain tendency could be seen before the kick-off. However, it took over half an hour before Nottingham was able to convert its superiority into goals: after a poorly defended corner from Ipswich, Milenkovic thundered the ball humorlessly under the crossbar to take the lead (35′).
Within seven minutes, Ipswich were then on the back foot: after winning the ball in their own half, it quickly went forward on the right, where Elanga was not attacked – and the Swede casually put the ball low into the far corner (37′). Just four minutes later, it was a long ball from Milenkovic, who jumped over Wood and sent Elanga alone in front of keeper Palmer (41′). The 3-0 decision at the Portman Road was made before half-time.
Cajuste, Jota Silva and then Hirst
After the break, Nottingham shifted down a few gears and went into administration mode. Coach Nuno Espirito Santo was so pleased with the way the game was going that he took off match-winner Elanga in the 67th minute.
However, they failed in their “final” goal of keeping their seventh clean sheet in competitive matches in 2025. Cajuste scored a spectacular goal eight minutes before the end of regular time (82”). It was the starting signal for a spectacular final phase: First, Forest substitute Jota Silva, who had only been on the pitch for six minutes, coolly finished a counterattack in minute 87, then Hirst made the final score 2:4 on the opposite side (90.+3).
Seven days after the 1-0 win over Manchester City, it was the next exclamation mark for Nottingham, which is currently in fifth place with a six-point lead over ManCity (only 2-2 against Brighton).
