Nottingham Forest beat Brighton on penalties to book their place in the FA Cup semi-finals

Nottingham Forest have booked their place in the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 34 years after a thrilling 4-3 penalty shootout victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium.

The quarter-final ended goalless after 120 minutes of action, Forest showcased resilience and composure as they triumphed in their third consecutive penalty shootout.

During the 120 minutes, neither side was able to break the deadlock despite flashes of quality.

Forests's Sels proved decisive, he saved penalties from Brighton’s Jack Hinshelwood and Diego Gomez.

Forest captain Ryan Yates sealed the victory with a powerful strike into the bottom corner, sparking celebrations among the supporters. Elliot Anderson, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Nikola Milenkovic also converted their spot-kicks, while Neco Williams’ miss briefly raised Brighton’s hopes.

Manager Nuno Espirito Santo praised his team’s character and Sels’ exceptional performance. “It’s a huge step for us, reaching Wembley after so long. The players showed incredible focus, and Matz was fantastic,” Nuno said.

Brighton were aiming for a third FA Cup semi-final appearance in seven years however their hopes fell short.

The semi-final draw, set to take place on March 30 and will determine Forest’s next opponents as they chase a historic return to the FA Cup final, last reached in 1991