Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Nottingham Forest earned a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final, thanks to a second-half penalty from Chris Wood. The penalty came after Lucas Digne handled the ball late in the match. Wood’s successful spot-kick gives Forest a narrow advantage for the return leg.
The match featured key goalkeeping moments, including Stefan Ortega’s crucial save from Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Martínez’s quick reaction to deny Igor Jesus. After halftime, Ortega also saved a close-range shot from Ollie Watkins, preserving Forest’s clean sheet.
Forest head coach Vitor Pereira praised the team's spirit and performance, noting the challenge of managing after four coaching changes this season. Chris Wood called the result a positive step, while acknowledging the difficulty of playing at Villa Park in the next leg. Aston Villa’s Matty Cash said the tie remains competitive.
UEFA’s match report highlighted Forest’s energy, desire, and ambition in controlling much of the match, though Aston Villa created strong attacking chances. Both teams are preparing for a decisive second leg to decide who advances to the final in Istanbul.