Nottingham Forest beat Sheffield United on penalties to set up a Championship play-off final meeting with Huddersfield Town despite losing a drama-packed semi-final second leg at the City Ground.
Brice Samba produced goalkeeping heroics for the hosts at the end of a pulsating tie, saving spot kicks from Oli Norwood, Conor Hourihane and Morgan Gibbs-White.
Thousands of joyous Forest fans spilled onto the pitch when Samba saved Gibbs-White’s weak penalty after the two legs finished 3-3 on aggregate.
Brennan Johnson had added to Forest’s 2-1 aggregate lead from the first leg with a sliding first-half finish, but second-half goals from Gibbs-White and John Fleck sent the game to extra time.
It took a fine reflex save from Samba to keep Iliman Ndiaye out in the 115th minute and force the game to a shootout.
The Congolese goalkeeper immediately gave Forest the advantage by saving United’s first two attempts.
Johnson, Cafu and Steve Cook scored their efforts for Forest before Joe Lolley sent his over the bar, which set Samba up to make the save from Gibbs-White that sent Forest to Wembley for the first time in 30 years.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Nottm Forest
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 30Samba
- 4WorrallBooked at 90mins
- 27S CookBooked at 111mins
- 26McKennaBooked at 75mins
- 2Spence
- 22Yates
- 37GarnerSubstituted forRibeiro Diasat 119′minutes
- 8Colback
- 11ZinckernagelSubstituted forLolleyat 71′minutes
- 20Johnson
- 16SurridgeSubstituted forDavisat 75′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Horvath
- 3Figueiredo
- 9Davis
- 14Laryea
- 17Mighten
- 18Ribeiro Dias
- 23Lolley
Sheff Utd
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 18Foderingham
- 6Basham
- 12Egan
- 19RobinsonBooked at 58mins
- 2BaldockSubstituted forOsbornat 108′minutes
- 16Norwood
- 4FleckSubstituted forHourihaneat 109′minutes
- 33Norrington-Davies
- 8Berge
- 27Gibbs-White
- 29Ndiaye
Substitutes
- 1Davies
- 22Davies
- 23Osborn
- 24Hourihane
- 25Uremovic
- 32Osula
- 36Jebbison
- Referee:
- Michael Oliver
- Attendance:
- 29,015
Live Text
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Match ends, Nottingham Forest 1(3), Sheffield United 2(2).
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Penalty Shootout ends, Nottingham Forest 1(3), Sheffield United 2(2).
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Penalty saved! Morgan Gibbs-White (Sheffield United) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved in the bottom left corner.
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Penalty missed! Bad penalty by Joe Lolley (Nottingham Forest) left footed shot is too high. Joe Lolley should be disappointed.
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Goal! Nottingham Forest 1(3), Sheffield United 2(2). Iliman Ndiaye (Sheffield United) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
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Goal! Nottingham Forest 1(3), Sheffield United 2(1). Steve Cook (Nottingham Forest) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
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Goal! Nottingham Forest 1(2), Sheffield United 2(1). Sander Berge (Sheffield United) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top left corner.
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Goal! Nottingham Forest 1(2), Sheffield United 2. Cafú (Nottingham Forest) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the centre of the goal.
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Penalty saved! Conor Hourihane (Sheffield United) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, left footed shot saved in the centre of the goal.
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Goal! Nottingham Forest 1(1), Sheffield United 2. Brennan Johnson (Nottingham Forest) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
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Penalty saved! Oliver Norwood (Sheffield United) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved in the bottom left corner.
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Penalty Shootout begins Nottingham Forest 1, Sheffield United 2.
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Second Half Extra Time ends, Nottingham Forest 1, Sheffield United 2.
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Conor Hourihane (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest).
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Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Cafú replaces James Garner.
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Attempt missed. Joe Lolley (Nottingham Forest) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Joe Worrall.
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Attempt saved. Iliman Ndiaye (Sheffield United) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Morgan Gibbs-White with a headed pass.
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Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Joe Lolley.
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Attempt blocked. Sander Berge (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Rhys Norrington-Davies.
