Nottingham Forest 1-1 Wolves: Daniel Podence snatches late equaliser
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Wolves: Daniel Podence snatches late equaliser to cancel out Brennan Johnson’s first half strike, as Steve Cooper’s side remain just two points above the relegation zone
- Wolves won a vital point at Nottingham Forest on Saturday after a late goal
- Daniel Podence brought Julen Lopetegui’s side level in the 89th minute
- His strike cancelled out Brennan Johnson’s first-half opener for Forest
Now all Steve Cooper can do is wait. Nottingham Forest’s under-pressure manager desperately needed a victory to persuade the club hierarchy to back him once more but Daniel Podence’s late equaliser for Wolves leaves everything up in the air.
In a match blighted by a brawl between the benches that saw Forest assistant Alan Tate and Wolves No2 Pablo Sanz red-carded, Forest led through Brennan Johnson’s goal late in the first half and wasted many more chances to make the game safe.
They were punished when substitute Podence scored with seven minutes left, though the Portuguese was perhaps lucky to escape a red card following a heated tussle with Cheikhou Kouyate.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis backed Cooper in October after a 4-0 thrashing at Leicester and must now decide whether to do so again. It comes down to a simple question: after spending £160million on transfers, does Marinakis think Cooper can keep Forest up? If not, it is hard to be optimistic for his long-term prospects.
Forest travel to Leeds on Tuesday before facing a fearsome run of fixtures featuring Brighton, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool.
Wolves snatched a draw at Nottingham Forest on Saturday after a late goal from Daniel Podence
Forest had led the game since Brennan Johnson’s first half strike before Wolves equalised in the 89th minute
Forest fans showed Cooper and owner Evangelos Marinakis, who took his seat in the stands, exactly what they think of their manager by bellowing his name before kick-off and in the early part of the game.
After a run of six games without a win, it seemed exactly what the team needed as they can began brightly, with Morgan Gibbs-White heavily involved against his old club.
The playmaker set up Johnson early on for a fierce drive that was turned over and though Wolves were being pinned back, they could always threaten at the right time. Toti Gomes’ cross from the left made it all the way through to Adama Traore, forcing Harry Toffolo into a vital block.
At the other end, Nelson Semedo did well to stop efforts from Emmanuel Dennis and Toffolo at source. During the same move, Forest had appealed for a penalty when Dennis’ cross hit Semedo’s hand but the request was correctly turned down.
Moments later, Wolves came desperately close to the opener when Matheus Nunes crossed and as Moussa Niakhate tried to get there before Matheus Cunha, he headed against his own bar. Forest were wobbling for the first time and Semedo wasted an excellent crossing position by driving into the arms of Keylor Navas, before Nunes nearly seized on a mix-up between Navas and Neco Williams.
Johnson made a tricky finish look finish as he scored through the keeper’s legs from a tight angle
Podence’s equaliser came after a Pedro Neto shot was deflected into the winger’s path
The late blow for Forest seemed inevitable after they squandered a number of big chances
Back came Forest. Dennis shot took close to Sa after another fine pass from Gibbs-White before Johnson put them ahead seven minutes before half-time.
It was an excellent move but Wolves defended it poorly. Gibbs-White and Danilo combined well but Ruben Neves missed his chance to tackle Danilo, whose lofted pass caught Gomes out of position.
Johnson made a tricky finish look easy by driving confidently through Sa’s legs. Cooper is usually calm in such situations but he raced out of his technical area, punching the area, while opposite number Julen Lopetegui hurled his jacket into the dug-out.
Wolves have been furious at decisions that have gone against them in recent weeks but they would have felt relieved when Johnson fell in the box with Gomes’ arm on his back, but bizarrely the Forest man was booked. Neves also then collected a yellow card – his 10th of the season, meaning a two-match ban.
There was already bad blood between these teams after the Carabao Cup tie and the dislike bubbled to the surface again spectacularly at the start of the second half when Adama Traore tumbled in the box under pressure from Felipe.
Lopetegui and his coaching staff approached fourth official Matt Donohue in disbelief and when Forest’s backroom team also stepped in, Cooper’s No2 Alan Tate squared up to Wolves assistant manager Pablo Sanz as several members of staff from both sides piled in. Referee Chris Kavanagh sent off both Tate and Sanz and as the temperature rose, Forest should have doubled their lead.
When a Wolves attack broke down, Gibbs-White’s glorious pass released Dennis only for the Nigerian to shoot against the legs of Sa, before Johnson put the rebound wide.
Julen Lopetegui’s side remain 13th in the league but are just three points above the drop zone
As for Steve Cooper, it remains to be seen whether he can persuade the club hierarchy to keep backing him
By now Wolves had used four substitutes and midway through the second half Cooper took off Dennis and sent on centre-back Joe Worrall to move to a three-man defence.
Wolves simply could not stop Gibbs-White finding space and he created another chance for Danilo, which was also squandered. Semedo cleared off the line from Johnson and substitute Renan Lodi fluffed the follow-up, before Danilo put another effort wide.
After wasting so many opportunities to put the game to bed, it felt inevitable that Forest would pay the price. The home side were sitting so deep at this stage and when Pedro Neto’s shot deflected into the path of fellow substitute Podence, he turned inside Williams before beating Navas comfortably from 12 yards.
There was then a red card check by VAR after an altercation between Podence and Forest sub Kouyate but no punishment followed. Cooper may not be so lucky.
MATCH FACTS
NOTTINGHAM FOREST (4-3-3): Navas 6; Williams 6.5, Niakhate 6, Felipe 7, Toffolo 6.5 (Lodi 61, 6); Mangala 7 (Kouyate 86), Freuler 6, Danilo 7 (Awoniyi 86); Johnson 7, Gibbs-White 8, Dennis 6 (Worrall 67, 6).
Goal: Johnson, 38
Booked: Johnson, Toffolo
Subs (not used): Hennessey, Shelvey, Colback, Surridge, Ayew.
WOLVES (4-2-3-1): Sa 6; Semedo 6, Dawson 5 (Bueno 65, 6), Kilman 6, T Gomes 5; Neves 6, Lemina 5 (Sarabia 46, 7); Traore 6 (Costa 65, 6.5), Moutinho 5 (Podence 46, 7), Nunes 6; Cunha 5 (Neto 81).
Goal: Podence, 89
Booked: Neves, Moutinho, Semedo, Sarabia
Subs (not used): Bentley, Collins, Jimenez, J Gomes.
Referee: C Kavanagh (Lancashire) 6
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