Stunning late win for Everton at Forest
Nottingham Forest 0 - 1 Everton
Abdoulaye Doucoure became Everton’s hero by scoring a last-minute goal, securing a 1-0 victory against Nottingham Forest at The City Ground and damaging their Champions League aspirations.
The home side were on course for a potentially valuable point, Everton struck late to seal a dramatic win.
With the match seemingly drifting towards a goalless draw, substitute Dwight McNeil produced a moment of quality, threading a precise pass through to Abdoulaye Doucouré. The midfielder made no mistake, calmly slotting past Matz Sels to give the visitors a vital victory.
A closer look at what happened at the City Ground
Forest have been one of the Premier League's surprise packages this season under Nuno Espírito Santo, making this home defeat all the more frustrating.
The first half unfolded at a steady pace, with both sides struggling to find fluency in the intense heat. Forest goalkeeper Sels was called into action to deny James Garner’s low drive and Iliman Ndiaye’s header, while Jota Silva had Everton’s best chances, though his efforts were straight at Jordan Pickford.
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After the break, Callum Hudson-Odoi looked lively on the counter for Forest. He cut inside with purpose midway through the second half, but his curling shot lacked the necessary bend and was comfortably smothered by Pickford.
Just as it seemed the points would be shared, Everton struck decisively on the break. McNeil’s clever ball split the Forest defence, and Doucouré applied the finishing touch to lift the Toffees up to 14th in the table. Forest were left stunned by the late blow and must now regroup ahead of a challenging run of fixtures.
So much positivity for Everton fans now
There has been a lot of discussion about a new era for the club. With relegation behind them, the return of David Moyes, new ownership, and a new stadium on the horizon, this new dawn can draw inspiration from Nottingham Forest. Forest spent years outside the Premier League but returned successfully under new ownership. Their achievements this season demonstrate that fresh starts can lead to great success.
Since David Moyes took charge for his second stint on January 15, Everton would currently be in sixth place in the Premier League table, having lost just twice in 12 league matches. Moyes's return has been a revelation, but Nottingham Forest had the opportunity today to achieve their first league double over Everton since 1995, following their 2-0 victory at Goodison Park in December.
