Nottingham Forest claimed a narrow 2-1 win over Aston Villa in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday night at the City Ground. Morgan Gibbs-White opened the scoring in the 27th minute with a composed finish after a swift counter-attack, before Taiwo Awoniyi doubled the lead early in the second half with a powerful header from a corner. Villa pulled one back through Ollie Watkins in the 68th minute, but Forest held on to take a slender advantage into the return leg at Villa Park next week.
First Half Dominance
Forest started brightly, pressing high and forcing Villa into early errors. The breakthrough came when Anthony Elanga raced down the right flank and pulled the ball back for Gibbs-White, who slotted home from 12 yards. Villa struggled to create clear chances, with Leon Bailey's long-range effort the only shot on target in the first half.
Second Half Drama
Awoniyi's goal just after the break gave Forest a comfortable cushion, but Villa responded well. Watkins capitalized on a defensive mix-up to reduce the deficit, setting up a tense finale. Forest goalkeeper Matt Turner made crucial saves from Douglas Luiz and John McGinn to preserve the lead.
The second leg will take place on May 7 at Villa Park, with the winner advancing to the final in Dublin.
