Nottingham Forest continue push for Europe with impressive win at Brentford
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Nottingham Forest struck a significant blow in their unlikely bid to qualify for the Champions League as they ended Brentford’s unbeaten Premier League home record with a 2-0 win at the Gtech Community Stadium. It was a third victory in a row for Nuno Espirito Santo’s team, whose credentials for a possible top-four finish are growing harder to ignore, and the confident, assured manner in which they dealt with Brentford – previously untouchable on this ground – only reinforced that sentiment.
Ola Aina swept home late in the first half to hand Forest the lead after they had survived some nervous wobbles in defence.World-famous model Claudia Schiffer was in attendance in west London and she witnessed more ghastly defending in the second half when Keane Lewis-Potter presented the ball to Anthony Elanga, who finished unerringly for 2-0.
Brentford had seven wins from eight here and did not give up their proud record lightly. There might have been a tighter finish to things had Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels not produced one of the saves of the season to keep out Kristoffer Ajer midway through the second half, but despite the Bees’ busy industry to try and salvage a point, Forest’s greater quality told.
The hosts had actually made the brighter start. Bryan Mbeumo scooped a ball in behind Forest for Yoane Wissa, who raced onto to it and cut back for Mikkel Damsgaard to shoot, his effort palmed behind by Sels. Mbeumo was creator again minutes later with a high back-post cross that was headed just wide by Ajer.
