UEFA Europa League Semi-finals
Nottingham Forest 1 - 0 FT Aston Villa
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
HT
↓ A. Onana ↑L. Bogarde 55'
71' C. Wood
75' ↓ O. Aina ↑Z. Abbott
Y. Tielemans 78'
↓ L. Digne ↑Douglas Luiz 79'
↓ J. McGinn ↑J. Sancho 79'
↓ E. Buendia ↑I. Maatsen 79'
90' ↓ Igor Jesus ↑R. Yates
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Nottingham Forest
Goalkeepers
Stefan Ortega 
PROVOCATEUR
1
Fouls Won
1
Fouls Won
1
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Defenders
Ola Aina 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
75
Total Mins
75
Entry
Nikola Milenković
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
94
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Morato
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
94
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Neco Williams 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Midfielders
Omari Hutchinson 
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
29%
Pass Acc
Nicolás Domínguez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
94
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Elliot Anderson 
MAGNET
77
Activity
77
Activity
68
Passes
9
Duels
Morgan Gibbs-White
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Forwards
Igor Jesus 
NPC
90
Minutes
90
Minutes
16%
Pass Acc
6.7
Rating
Chris Wood 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
BENCH
Matz Sels 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Keehan Willows
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Zach Abbott
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
19
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Justin Hanks
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ryan Yates
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
4
Total Mins
Started
Entry
James McAtee
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Archie Whitehall
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jimmy Sinclair
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Dilane Bakwa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Lorenzo Lucca
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Zyan Blake
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Aston Villa
Goalkeepers
Emiliano Martínez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
94
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Matty Cash
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
94
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ezri Konsa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
94
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Pau Torres
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Lucas Digne 
FRIENDLY FIRE
Pen Given
Mistake
Pen Given
Mistake
2
Fouls
6.3
Rating
Midfielders
Amadou Onana
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
55
Total Mins
55
Entry
Youri Tielemans
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
John McGinn
LATE SHIFT
11
Late Mins
11
Late Mins
79
Total Mins
79
Entry
Morgan Rogers
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Emiliano Buendía
LATE SHIFT
11
Late Mins
11
Late Mins
79
Total Mins
79
Entry
Forwards
Ollie Watkins
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
94
Total Mins
Started
Entry
BENCH
Marco Bizot
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
James Wright
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Victor Lindelöf
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tyrone Mings
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Andrés García
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ian Maatsen
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
15
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Lamare Bogarde
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
39
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Harvey Elliott
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Douglas Luiz
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
16
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jadon Sancho
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
15
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Leon Bailey
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tammy Abraham
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04/30/2026 | Nottingham Forest | 1 - 0 | Aston Villa | UEFA Europa League | City Ground |
| 04/12/2026 | Nottingham Forest | 1 - 1 | Aston Villa | Premier League | City Ground |
| 01/03/2026 | Aston Villa | 3 - 1 | Nottingham Forest | Premier League | Villa Park |
| 04/05/2025 | Aston Villa | 2 - 1 | Nottingham Forest | Premier League | Villa Park |
| 12/14/2024 | Nottingham Forest | 2 - 1 | Aston Villa | Premier League | The City Ground |
| 02/24/2024 | Aston Villa | 4 - 2 | Nottingham Forest | Premier League | Villa Park |
| 11/05/2023 | Nottingham Forest | 2 - 0 | Aston Villa | Premier League | The City Ground |
| 04/08/2023 | Aston Villa | 2 - 0 | Nottingham Forest | Premier League | Villa Park |
| 10/10/2022 | Nottingham Forest | 1 - 1 | Aston Villa | Premier League | The City Ground |
| 03/13/2019 | Nottingham Forest | 1 - 3 | Aston Villa | Championship | City Ground |
04/30/2026
04/12/2026
01/03/2026
04/05/2025
12/14/2024
02/24/2024
11/05/2023
04/08/2023
10/10/2022
03/13/2019
Nottingham Forest Win
Aston Villa Win
Draw
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Wood's Spot-Kick Secures Semi-Final Edge for Forest
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 43/100. Chris Wood’s late penalty shattered a stubborn deadlock, giving Nottingham Forest a slender but priceless advantage in this European semi-final.
Chess Match at the City Ground
A deafening atmosphere greeted the teams at City Ground, perfectly reflecting the massive Stakes of a European semi-final. The early exchanges were cautious, with Nottingham Forest trying to dictate the tempo. They edged possession with 51 percent of the ball, but finding a clear route through was another matter. Elliot Anderson emerged as the absolute standout, effortlessly pulling the strings in midfield and registering two vital key passes. Despite his vision, Aston Villa held their shape admirably. A barrage of early corners highlighted the home side's set-piece pressure, but the breakthrough remained elusive in a half defined by tactical discipline rather than chaotic action.
The Penalty Pivot
The second half demanded a spark to break the tense Balance on the pitch. The defining moment finally arrived in the 71st minute. The referee pointed to the spot, sending a jolt of Intensity through the stands. C. Wood stepped up, ignoring the immense pressure to convert a clinical penalty. Until that moment, Emiliano Martínez had been a wall for the visitors, expertly pulling off three crucial saves to keep his team level. Yet, a penalty is the ultimate test of nerve, and the Forest striker simply dispatched it past the World Cup winner to flip the script of the tie.
Halfway to the Final
The final whistle confirmed a 1-0 victory for the home side, but this knockout tie is only at the halfway mark. Holding a clean sheet is a massive boost for Forest, who limited the visitors to just three shots on target and an xG of 0.72. Villa will feel frustrated but know they possess the firepower to overturn this deficit when the sides meet again on May 7. The second leg promises immense drama, as the hosts try to protect their narrow lead while the visitors look to unleash their attacking arsenal on home soil.
Key Questions
What does this mean for Nottingham Forest's season?
This narrow 1-0 win keeps their European dream alive, setting up a thrilling second leg where a draw will secure their spot in the final.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Semi-Final Stakes Ignite European Nights
Must-Watch Futmetrix Score: 100/100. This first leg is a spectacular clash of styles where the immense prize of a European final hangs in the balance.
The Setup
The atmosphere at City Ground on April 30, 2026, will be electric for this UEFA Europa League semi-final. This is just the first chapter of a two-leg tie, with the return match already looming on May 7. The Stakes are incredibly high, with a ticket to the final on the line. Aston Villa arrive boasting a formidable Form rating fueled by a flawless five-match winning streak. However, an off-the-charts Balance metric suggests Nottingham Forest will match them blow for blow. The hosts have the tactical structure to disrupt the visitors' flowing rhythm.
Key Battle
We are watching Callum Hudson-Odoi test the defensive resolve of the away side, while Villa lean on the lethal Ollie Watkins. Hudson-Odoi brings a direct, explosive energy that can punish any gaps left by an adventurous away backline. On the other end, Watkins, supported by the creative vision of Emiliano Buendía, will constantly stretch the Forest defensive shape. Both squads possess high Stars ratings, ensuring that moments of individual brilliance will heavily influence this first leg.
Our Prediction
Forest's home advantage makes them narrow favorites on paper, but Villa's winning momentum makes them incredibly dangerous. Expect a tense 1-1 draw. Both managers will likely remain cautious, preferring to keep the tie alive and settle it in the second leg rather than risking it all tonight.