Wood punishes Digne blunder as Forest earn Europa semi-final lead against Villa

TL;DR

Nottingham Forest won the first leg of their Europa League semi-final against Aston Villa 1-0, thanks to Chris Wood's penalty after a handball by Lucas Digne. This victory puts Forest within reach of their first European final since 1980.

Key points

Nottingham Forest won 1-0 against Aston Villa in the Europa League semi-final first leg
Chris Wood scored the only goal from a penalty
Lucas Digne's handball led to the penalty
The second leg is scheduled for May 7 at Villa Park
Forest aims for their first European final since 1980

Nottingham ForestAston VillaEuropa League

Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood celebrates scoring against Aston Villa (Darren Staples) (Darren Staples/AFP/AFP) Nottingham Forest seized the advantage in their Europa League semi-final against Aston Villa as Chris Wood's penalty sealed a 1-0 win in the first leg on Thursday. Wood netted from the spot in the second half after a needless handball by Villa defender Lucas Digne in the all-English clash at the City Ground. The New Zealand striker's fifth goal of an injury-plagued season moved Forest within touching distance of their first European final since 1980. Vitor Pereira's side are on a nine-match winning run in all competitions, carrying them five points clear of the Premier League relegation zone and to the brink of the Europa showpiece. Forest will make the short 50-mile trip to Villa Park for the second leg on May 7, with the winners facing Braga or Freiburg in the final in Istanbul on May 20. Braga won 2-1 in the other semi-final first leg on Thursday. Making it to Istanbul would be a dramatic finale to Forest's soap opera season, featuring four managers and a tense relegation battle. After the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche, Pereira had led Forest to their first European semi-final since losing against Anderlecht in the 1983-84 UEFA Cup. Crowned European champions in 1979 and 1980 in their golden era under Brian Clough, Forest have been staved of success over the last three decades. Playing in Europe for the first time since 1995-96, Forest are chasing a first major trophy since the 1990 League Cup. They have not been in any major final since losing against Manchester United in the 1992 League Cup. Villa boss Unai Emery has a well-earned reputation as a Europa League specialist after winning the competition three times with Sevilla and once with , as well finishing as a runner-up with . But Villa have been semi-final flops under Emery, losing in the last four against Olympiacos in the 2024 UEFA Conference League and in the 2025 FA Cup.

Q&A

What was the score of the Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa Europa League semi-final first leg?

Nottingham Forest won the match 1-0 against Aston Villa.

Who scored the penalty for Nottingham Forest in the semi-final match?

Chris Wood scored the penalty for Nottingham Forest.

What mistake did Lucas Digne make during the match against Nottingham Forest?

Lucas Digne committed a handball that led to the penalty awarded to Nottingham Forest.

When is the second leg of the Europa League semi-final between Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa?

The second leg will take place on May 7 at Villa Park.