Chelsea’s winning streak was halted by a resilient Nottingham Forest in a dramatic 1-1 draw, packed with intense moments and Premier League flair. The match saw a sending off, a chaotic brawl, a late equalizer, and near misses, but Forest managed to extend their unbeaten away record.
The late drama unfolded when James Ward-Prowse received his marching orders in the 78th minute. With Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson charging toward goal from the halfway line, Ward-Prowse, recognizing the danger, cynically grabbed the ball, earning his second yellow card and an early trip to the tunnel.
Things escalated quickly moments later when Neco Williams clipped Marc Cucurella near the touchline, sending him crashing into Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca. The incident sparked a brief melee between players and staff, with 15 people involved in heated exchanges. Though only two yellow cards were shown, further FA action seems inevitable.
Before the red card, both sides had produced a thrilling 11 vs. 11 contest. Chelsea’s No. 11, Noni Madueke, was desperate to continue his goal-scoring form following Cole Palmer’s four-goal haul in their last Premier League match. Madueke came close several times in the first half but was denied by Forest’s solid defense and some wayward finishing.
Forest, meanwhile, showcased their ability to pull off away upsets, just as they had done against Southampton and Liverpool. Murillo tested Chelsea’s keeper, Robert Sanchez, with a fierce 25-yard strike, which was palmed away, and Forest remained a constant threat on the counter-attack.
The first breakthrough came early in the second half. Nikola Milenkovic flicked on a James Ward-Prowse free-kick, and Chris Wood, showing his center-forward instincts, poked the ball into the bottom corner to give Forest a 1-0 lead.
Madueke, undeterred, equalized just before the hour mark. With the composure of an experienced striker, he drilled a low shot past the Forest keeper to make it 1-1. Moments later, he had a golden opportunity to put Chelsea ahead but fired over from close range.
In the dying moments, Chelsea threw everything at Forest, and in the 104th minute, Robert Sanchez was forced into a full-stretch save to deny substitute Jota Silva’s header, ensuring the points were shared in this pulsating Premier League contest.
Despite dominating possession and creating several chances, Chelsea couldn’t find a way past a determined Forest defense, maintaining Forest’s unbeaten away record this season.
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