Nottingham Forest Hand Brentford First Home Defeat of the Season. Forest Take Advantage of Brentford’s Missed Chances to Secure Comfortable Win
Gtech Community Stadium, December 21, 2024 – Brentford were handed their first home defeat of the season as Nottingham Forest claimed a professional 2-0 victory at Gtech Community Stadium. The Bees started brightly but were unable to capitalize on their early energy, and Forest punished them with two well-taken goals, extending their impressive run and temporarily moving up to third in the Premier League standings.
A Quiet First Half, But Forest Strike Late
The match began with Brentford dominating possession, pushing forward with intent from the start. The home side’s most dangerous player, Bryan Mbeumo, was involved early, creating a promising chance in the fourth minute. Mbeumo’s cross found Mikkel Damsgård, but the Danish winger could only direct his shot straight at Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels. The Bees continued to press but struggled to create clear-cut chances, with Mbeumo’s individual efforts often being stifled by a disciplined Forest defense.
It took Forest some time to find their rhythm, but they began to look more threatening as the first half drew to a close. A late flurry of chances saw them come closest in the 38th minute when Neco Williams delivered a low cross into the box. While the ball narrowly missed Chris Wood, it found a lurking Ola Aina, who calmly slotted the ball home from close range to give Forest a 1-0 lead heading into the break.
Elanga Seals the Win After Defensive Error
Brentford came out in the second half hoping to level the score, but any hopes of a fightback were quickly dashed. Just six minutes after the restart, Forest doubled their advantage. A defensive mix-up between Brentford's Keane Lewis-Potter and goalkeeper David Raya allowed Anthony Elanga to pounce. The Swedish winger stole the ball from behind Lewis-Potter and calmly finished into the bottom-left corner to make it 2-0, effectively putting the game beyond Brentford’s reach.
Brentford struggled to recover from the blow, and despite some possession and sporadic attempts, they failed to break down Forest's resolute defense. The hosts created little of real danger, with the lack of attacking support for Mbeumo and a lack of clinical finishing preventing any serious chances from materializing.
Close xG, But Forest Clinical Where It Counts
While the xG statistics show a close encounter, with Brentford registering 0.80 and Forest slightly ahead at 0.84, the difference in clinical finishing was clear. Forest made the most of their opportunities, while Brentford’s early promise fizzled out as they lacked the cutting edge needed to turn possession into goals.
Forest Move into Third, Brentford Slip to 12th
The result was a significant one for both sides. Nottingham Forest’s second consecutive win lifts them to third place in the Premier League, further cementing their position as one of the surprise teams of the season. Meanwhile, Brentford's defeat sees them drop to 12th, with the pressure on Thomas Frank's side to regroup.
Looking ahead, Forest will host Tottenham Hotspur on Boxing Day in what promises to be a tough test, while Brentford will travel to Brighton the following day, hoping to bounce back and rediscover their form.
Post a Comment