Nottingham Forest suffered an enormous blow of their push for a return to the Champions League after a long time away as Brentford got here away from the City Ground with a 2-0 win on Thursday. A 3rd defeat in 4 video games, courtesy of targets from Kevin Schade and Yoane Wissa, leaves the stumbling two-time European champions outdoors the Premier League’s high 5 with simply 4 video games remaining. Liverpool have already gained the Premier League and second-placed Arsenal have a snug cushion however simply 5 factors separate third-placed Newcastle from seventh-paced Aston Villa.
This season, the highest 5 will all qualify for the Champions League after robust performances in Europe from Premier League groups.
Not since 1980, beneath former supervisor Brian Clough, have Forest performed within the continent’s high membership competitors, then as two-time champions.
But after a season spent largely within the higher reaches of the Premier League they’re struggling a significant wobble on the worst potential second.
Despite the defeat, Forest have 60 factors, simply two behind Newcastle, with Manchester City, Chelsea and Villa additionally within the combine.
Brentford, themselves chasing a European spot after a fantastic season, made a constructive begin, dominating possession in opposition to Nuno Espirito Santo’s staff on a balmy May night.
They went near taking the lead within the seventeenth minute when Sepp van den Berg received his head to a free-kick from the appropriate however he planted his header too near goalkeeper Matz Sels.
Forest, who’ve made an artwork type of exploding on the break, labored their method again into the full-blooded contest.
– Floundering Forest –
Midfielder Elliot Anderson produced the house facet’s first effort heading in the right direction with 5 minutes remaining within the first half however his tame effort didn’t bother goalkeeper Mark Flekken.
But it was Brentford made the breakthrough on the cusp of half-time when Nathan Collins fired an extended ball all the way down to the center to search out Schade.
The Germany ahead didn’t management the ball initially however Forest defender Ola Aina stumbled and Schade had a easy end.
The gamers confronted lashing rain initially of the second half and Forest dominated the ball within the early levels.
Anthony Elanga raced down the left early and produced a pointy shot that Flekken pushed away.
Top-scorer Chris Wood headed Aina’s cross vast within the sixty fifth minute because the strain from Forest mounted.
But Brentford silenced the house crowd when Wissa doubled their lead with 20 minutes to go following one other lengthy ball.
Flekken’s goal-kick was allowed to bounce and Wissa outpaced Nikola Milenkovic, earlier than coolly chipping Sels.
Nuno made a flurry of substitutions however to little impact as Brentford closed out the sport impressively.
Defeat is a bitter disappointment for Forest however a significant enhance for Brentford in their very own drive to qualify for European soccer subsequent season.
The three factors raise the Bees only one level behind Tenth-placed Bournemouth and heading in the right direction for his or her highest Premier League end.
Thomas Frank’s staff completed ninth within the 2022/23 marketing campaign earlier than slipping to a Sixteenth-placed end final season.
Forest’s remaining fixtures are in opposition to Crystal Palace, Leicester, West Ham and Chelsea.
Their season is threatening to finish with a whimper after defeat within the FA Cup semi-final to City on Sunday.
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