Forest into FA Cup semi-finals

Nottingham Forest booked their place in the semi-finals of the Emirates FA Cup after a penalty 4-3 shoot-out win against Brighton & Hove Albion at the AMEX Stadium.

After a gruelling goalless 120 minutes on the south coast, Ryan Yates converted the Reds' fourth spot kick to secure Forest's place in the final four of the competition after Matz Sels had saved from Jack Hinshelwood and Diego Gómez in the shoot-out.

Forest will find out their opponents after the final two fixtures in the FA Cup this weekend.

The Reds settled quickly on the south coast, enjoying plenty of possession in the Brighton half of the field.

Just before 20 minutes, Forest fashioned the first effort on goal of the match when Ola Aina’s clever pass found Awoniyi in behind the Seagulls’ defence; his fierce effort was parried away by Bart Verbruggen.

With the Reds, roared on by x travelling fans behind Matz Sels’ goal, maintaining a presence in the Brighton half, the home side began to play their way into the game after the half hour mark.

Pervis Estupiñán’s effort from distance bounced in front of Sels, but the Forest ‘keeper reacted well to parry the ball away from goal.

Moments before the half-time whistle, Brighton went close for the second time in the match when Carlos Balebah’s half-volley from the edge of the box went just wide of goal.

Half-time: Brighton 0-0 Forest

Two minutes into the second period and the home side continued in the same vein as the first had ended when Georginio Rutter’s rising effort went flying over the Forest crossbar.

But Nuno’s side came roaring back when Gibbs-White’s powerful drive forced Verbruggen into action, tipping the ball just over the bar.

With 25 minutes remaining in normal time, Elliot Anderson was brought down by Kaoru Mitoma in the Brighton box, but after referee Peter Bankes awarded the Reds a penalty, VAR overturned the decision.

Forest continued to press for the first goal of the game when substitute Anthony Elanga was denied by Verbruggen on 72 minutes.

Nuno’s side looked the more likely to progress for the remaining minutes of normal time with Elanga and Gibbs-White going close to winning goals.

But the sides couldn’t be separated in normal time and the tie would go to an extra 30 minutes.

Full time: Brighton 0-0 Forest

Forest battled valiantly in extra time, restricting the home side's chances while looking to find a winner of their own.

In the second half, the Seagulls came closest to a winner when Sels superbly tipped Diego Gómez's header over the bar, before parrying a dangerous-looking Yankuba Minteh cross moments later.

Jota had a chance of his own to win the tie for the Reds, only for Jan Paul van Hecke to make a last-ditch block to keep the scoreline goalless and send the tie to penalties.

After the first four penalties were successfully converted, Sels dived to his right to deny Hinshelwood, before standing tall to save from Gómez from the next penalty, giving Forest captain Yates the chance to send the club to the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 1991.