Nottingham Forest saw their hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League take a significant blow on Thursday night, as Brentford capitalized on two defensive lapses to earn a 2-0 victory at the City Ground in Premier League action.
Despite a brief surge of attacking momentum from Forest midway through the first half, it was Brentford who appeared sharper and more dangerous in possession.
Their persistence paid off just before the halftime whistle. As Ola Aina lost his footing inside the box, Kevin Schade reacted quickly, nudging the ball past Matz Sels to give the visitors a deserved lead at the break.
Forest responded after the interval with increased urgency, pushing men forward in search of an equaliser.
However, they fell victim to another moment of inattentiveness. In a scene nearly identical to the first goal, a simple long ball bypassed the Forest backline, allowing Yoane Wissa to exploit the space.
He raced through on goal and executed a sublime chip over Sels to double Brentford’s advantage and secure all three points.
The hosts lacked cutting edge in the final third, and their failure to feed top scorer Chris Wood with quality chances meant they posed little threat to Brentford’s goal.
The irony of the defeat was underscored when Wissa, who had been on Forest’s radar during the January transfer window, delivered the decisive blow with his audacious finish.
Both goals stemmed from uncharacteristic lapses in concentration by a usually solid Forest defence, undone twice by direct balls over the top.
Forest’s Champions League quest now enters a critical phase with four games left, beginning with a Monday night showdown at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace.
Meanwhile, Brentford will shift focus to their own European ambitions when they host Manchester United at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday.
