NIGERIAN striker Taiwo Awoniyi of Nottingham Forest missed a key chance in the final minutes of the game meaning they were held to a 0-0 draw with Fulham, reports Sam French from the City Ground.
There was little between the two sides and it was Forest’s Nigerian striker who came off the bench midway through the second half in search of a winner. In the final moments of the game, he arguably had the best chance of the game when he was in on goal yet dragged his effort wide of the post.
Dan Ndoye also thought he had won it for the home side earlier in the second half when he had an effort ruled out for offside.
Nottingham Forest and Gibbs-White fire at last
Ultimately, it was a day of frustration for Vitor Pereira’s team. Forest looked solid and kept a clean sheet but it’s yet another game at home where they have failed to score. In their last five home games, they’ve had 99 shots but have scored just once.
The home side started the day in the bottom three following West Ham’s point against Manchester City the day before so it had the makings of an important game at the bottom of the table. As it is, a point takes them level with West Ham and moves them back out of the drop zone but only on goal difference.
Forest started the game with a back four following an injury to Jair Cunha in the Europa League defeat against Midtjylland on Thursday. However, in their last league game Forest secured a 2-2 draw away at Manchester City.
Meanwhile, Fulham arrived in the East Midlands on the back of two defeats – losing to West Ham in the Premier League and exiting the FA Cup at the hands of Championship side Southampton.
Forest made a promising start to the match, winning an early corner but nothing came from this. Elliot Anderson had the first real attempt of the match for the Reds when he turned on the ball in the box to open up a scoring opportunity but dragged his effort well wide.
They nearly found themselves in on goal after a long kick forward by keeper Matz Sels gave Igor Jesus and Calum Hudson-Odoi a ball to chase but Fulham keeper Bernd Leno was quick off his line to intercept.
Forest left back, Neco Williams, was shown an early yellow card in the 17th minute for a foul on Harry Wilson as he prevented a counter attack from the visitors. It led to a free kick and Calvin Bassey was in an onside position as he lost his marker and connected with a header from five yards out. It was the best chance of the game so far and fortunately for Forest it hit the legs of Sels and stayed out.
As the half progressed, Forest were sitting deeper and Fulham were looking the more likely to score.
Morgan Gibbs-White fired a Forest free-kick at the Fulham keeper but Fulham released the ball quickly and were immediately back on the attack. Nicolas Dominguez also fired a low shot straight at Leno, after a promising counter attack.
Neither side was demonstrating too much quality in attack. Goalscoring, particularly at home, had been proving a challenge for Forest in recent months.
The sides went in level at the break with the score 0-0. There had been little between them.
There was drama inside the opening seconds after the break as Forest thought they had been awarded a penalty when substitute Dan Ndoye was fouled by Calvin Bassey but it was pulled back for an offside and VAR confirmed this. Pereira made a double change at the break though by changing his wingers- bringing on Ndoye and Omari Hutchinson for Dominguez and Hudson-Odoi.
Forest nearly took the lead just before the hour mark when Ola Aina found himself in on goal and his effort from just outside the box rattled the bar but stayed out. It was a moment that reignited the home fans as they found their voices once again.
In search of a goal, Pereira turned to Awoniyi from the bench but it was half time substitute Ndoye who thought he had scored the opener moments after the change. He was played in on goal and converted past the onrushing Leno. There were wild celebrations from the home supporters but it was later ruled out by VAR for a marginal offside in the build-up.
As is often the case after such setbacks, Fulham were then the team with the momentum and they had a succession of corners and an effort that deflected just wide, after a vital block by Aina. Forest struggled to regain control during the aftermath of their disallowed goal.
The Reds continued to struggle going forward as they were doing a lot of work with the ball but appearing to run out of ideas when they got into a shooting position.
Fulham were seeing the majority of the ball, albeit without creating too many chances, as the game entered the final ten minutes. The home fans appeared to be nervous and it was the away end where the noise was coming from. It had the feeling that one goal would prove decisive.
With five minutes of the ninety remaining, the away side had a corner and Forest just about cleared it as it went out for another corner on the other side.
Forest had their moment to win the game in the 88th minute when they broke away and Awoniyi was in on goal with only the keeper to beat. To the frustration of the home fans and typical of their struggles in front of goal, Awoniyi dragged his shot wide when it looked easier to score and he likely had more time on the ball than he realised.
Six minutes were added to the ninety and Fulham had their moments. Forest had a corner in the final stages but this came to little as Fulham nearly broke away to score themselves but the referee signalled full time to prevent the counter.
Forest have a European trip to Denmark in the week but next weekend is a vital game at the bottom against fellow strugglers Tottenham Hotspur. Whereas, Fulham will host Burnley next weekend.
Fulham manager, Marco Silva, described it as a “difficult game”, saying that the first half was “tight” but he concluded by expressing his pleasure at gaining “a point on the road and a clean sheet”.
Whereas, Pereira, chose to praise his side and said that they “need to keep that mentality and the spirit to compete in every game”.
When asked about the lack of goals from his team, he said that it is not a lack of “technical quality”. He also pointed to the effort of the players who came off the bench, saying “we are creating problems, they (the players) are trying and working hard to win games.”
Pereira added that “a clean sheet is important as it gives us a chance to pick up points”.
On the balancing act of a trip to Midtjylland before the game with Spurs, he explained how “I need to rotate the team…otherwise it is not possible to compete three days later”.
Finally, ahead of the relegation battle, and not wanting to put too much emphasis on the importance of next week’s game, he added that “we also cannot control the results of the others, it is about focusing on us and keeping that morale”.