Carabao Cup: Forest 1 Wolves 1 (Forest win 4-3 on penalties) - report

With a place in their first semi-final since 1980 on the line, Wolves made a poor start to the game and were deservedly behind when former defender Willy Boly put Forest ahead.

Wolves missed two huge chances in the first half, despite a poor performance, but made a tactical switch in the second half.

As a result, they dominated the game and found a way back into it when Raul Jimenez finished from close range.

It was all Wolves for the majority of the second 45 but they could not find a way through and the game went to penalties.

Ruben Neves missed his spot kick, but it was all even going into the final penalty but 20-year-old Hodge had his effort saved.

The Wolves players rallied around the youngster on the pitch, before a melee ensued with former player Morgan Gibbs-White and Matheus Cunha. Toti Gomes also seemed to be involved.

In the end, Wolves missed a massive opportunity to go through to a semi-final and have a big chance at a day at Wembley.

Analysis

Julen Lopetegui made six changes to his side from the FA Cup draw with Liverpool at the weekend, and started in a 5-2-3 formation.

The biggest move was dropping captain Neves, as Joao Moutinho returned from injury. Daniel Podence also recovered from a knock and made the bench.

Steve Cooper made 10 changes from Forest’s heavy FA Cup defeat to Blackpool, and started in a 4-3-1-2 formation.

The only player to keep their place was Gustavo Scarpa, while former Wolves players Boly and Gibbs-White both started.

The first chance fell to the hosts after four minutes, and it was a big one. Gibbs-White was released down the left and his cross found Scarpa, who was free at the back post, but he made a mess of his shot from 10 yards.

Wolves had started the game poorly and were often being caught out on the ball, particularly as they tried to play out from defence. Forest pushed for a way through and Joe Worrall saw a shot blocked after a corner.

The visitors had a five-minute period where they improved, before Forest took the lead. A corner was flicked onto the crossbar before former Wolves defender Boly, who was sold to Forest in the summer, tapped home from close range. He refused to celebrate.

Wolves were all at sea and Lopetegui was making his voice heard from the touchline. The head coach was vociferous in his criticism and instruction to several individuals.

Lopetegui’s side finally got a shot on goal when Goncalo Guedes took aim from the edge of the box, but Dean Henderson was equal to it.

Moments later, Hwang Hee-chan released Jimenez one-on-one but his shot was saved, before Guedes blazed his follow-up high and wide.

A training ground move from a corner then saw Rayan Ait-Nouri have a shot blocked.

As Wolves pushed for an equaliser before the break, Henderson made another huge save. This time Jimenez crossed from the right and found Hwang, who took aim with a first-time volley but the goalkeeper stopped it with an outstretched arm.

The teams entered half-time with Forest leading 1-0 and the biggest take away for Wolves was that the formation was not working. The overall performance was poor, despite creating two golden chances.

At the start of the second-half Wolves switched to a 4-3-3 formation and brought Neves on for Guedes. That meant Ait-Nouri moved to play further forward and Jonny Castro Otto moved to left-back.

Neves’ first major involvement saw him attempt a poor header back towards his own goal, only to hand the ball to Gibbs-White. The former Wolves man shot on the turn but Jose Sa got a hand to it.

Forest started the half in the ascendency and had another chance when Gibbs-White found space in the box and eventually found Serge Aurier, who had a shot blocked.

Podence and Cunha were then introduced for Wolves, and shortly after they found an equaliser. A lovely move started with a Hwang flick to Matheus Nunes, who then found Cunha down the right channel. The winter signing delivered an inch-perfect low cross for Jimenez to tap in at the back post.

The game was becoming more open and Wolves looked far more competitive, particularly after making their changes. After 72 minutes they made another when Adama Traore came on for Jimenez in the 75th minute.

In the 77th minute it should have been Forest that took the lead when a pass inside the box cannoned off Nelson Semedo and caught Sa napping, before hitting the inside of the post and trickling along the goal line. Toti eventually cleared.

Wolves were screaming for a penalty when Nunes was brought down, and lost his boot and shinpad in the process, but nothing was given. Ironically, if VAR was in use, it may have been given.

The teams could not be separated after 90 minutes and a penalty shoot-out was needed.

Sam Surridge missed for Forest before Neves missed for Wolves. Podence, Nunes and Cunha all found the back of the net before it came down to Hodge as the final penalty.

The midfielder had his effort saved to see Wolves crash out of the cup.

Key Moments

18 GOAL Boly puts Forest ahead

64 GOAL Jimenez equalises for Wolves

SHOOT-OUT Hodge misses the decisive penalty

Teams

Wolves: Sa, Semedo, Jonny, Kilman, Toti, Ait-Nouri (Podence, 59), Nunes, Moutinho (Cunha, 59), Guedes (Neves, 45), Jimenez (Adama, 75), Hwang (Hodge, 80).

Subs not used: Sarkic, Collins, Bueno, Lembikisa.

Nottingham Forest: Henderson, Aurier, Worrall, Boly (McKenna, 60), Lodi, Yates, Freuler, Mangala (Colback, 64), Scarpa (Dennis, 68), Gibbs-White, Johnson (Surridge, 68).

Subs not used: Hennessey, Cook, Soh, Toffolo, O’Brien.