Wood punishes Digne blunder as Forest earn Europa semi-final lead

Nottingham Forest seized the advantage in their Europa League semi-final against Aston Villa as Chris Wood’s penalty sealed a 1-0 win in the first leg on Thursday.

Wood netted from the spot in the second half after a needless handball by Villa defender Lucas Digne in the all-English clash at the City Ground.

The New Zealand striker’s fifth goal of an injury-plagued season moved Forest within touching distance of their first European final since 1980.

Vitor Pereira’s side are on a nine-match unbeaten run in all competitions, carrying them five points clear of the Premier League relegation zone and to the brink of the Europa showpiece.

Forest will make the 50-mile trip to Villa Park for the second leg on May 7, with the winners facing Braga or Freiburg in the final in Istanbul on May 20.

Braga won 2-1 in the other semi-final first leg on Thursday.

“It’s nice to have the advantage but going to Villa Park will be a tough game. They’re good at their place,” Wood said.

“It’s small moments that can potentially change games. Thankfully it went in our favour tonight.”

Making it to Istanbul would be a dramatic finale to Forest’s soap-opera season, featuring four managers and a tense relegation battle.

After the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche, Pereira had led Forest to their first European semi-final since losing against Anderlecht in the 1983-84 UEFA Cup.

Crowned European champions in 1979 and 1980 in their golden era under Brian Clough, Forest have been starved of success over the last three decades.

Playing in Europe for the first time since 1995-96, Forest are chasing a first major trophy since the 1990 League Cup.

They have not been in any major final since losing against Manchester United in the 1992 League Cup.

Villa boss Unai Emery has a well-earned reputation as a Europa League specialist after winning the competition three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal, as well finishing as a runner-up with Arsenal.

But Villa have been semi-final flops under Emery, losing in the last four against Olympiacos in the 2024 UEFA Conference League and Crystal Palace in the 2025 FA Cup.

Digne disaster 

Villa remain on course to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a top-five finish in the Premier League.

But crashing out against Forest would sting, given Villa have not won a major trophy since the 1996 League Cup, while their last major continental final was the iconic 1982 European Cup triumph against Bayern Munich.

Villa threatened in the frantic early stages when Youri Tielemans’ long-range blast forced a good save from Stefan Ortega.

They were quickly back on the attack as Ollie Watkins picked out Morgan Rogers for a curler that Ortega saved at full stretch.

Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson escaped a red card for his ugly tackle on Watkins and the hosts gradually found their stride after the early Villa assault.

Anderson’s deft chipped pass reached Morgan Gibbs-White and his cross found Igor Jesus for a close-range volley that Emiliano Martinez repelled with a brilliant one-handed stop.

Watkins should have turned in Rogers’ shot early in the second half, but the striker miscued his effort straight at Ortega from five yards.

There was little to separate the teams and when the opening goal arrived in the 71st minute it came with a helping hand from Digne.

Omari Hutchinson chased an overhit cross and hooked it back in play just before the ball crossed the byline, with Digne foolishly sticking his arm up to block it.

A VAR check confirmed the ball hadn’t gone out of play and Wood stepped up to lash the penalty past Martinez.

The City Ground was rocking and Emery immediately hauled off the hapless Digne, sending on Jadon Sancho, Douglas Luiz and Ian Maatsen.

But Forest held firm to secure a victory that took them to the verge of an historic achievement.