Penalty king Wood 'last piece of puzzle' for Forest

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Chris Wood has scored 41 goals for Nottingham Forest since joining from Newcastle in 2023

Football reporter at the City GroundPublished24 minutes agoChris Wood almost led Nottingham Forest to the Champions League last season. After six months out, he could yet do it this time.

The striker's unstoppable penalty gave Forest a narrow first-leg lead in their Europa League semi-final tussle with Aston Villa on Thursday.

The winners will play Braga or Freiburg in Istanbul on 20 May - with Braga edging the other semi final 2-1 - for the trophy and a place in the Champions League.

Forest missed out the competition on the final day of last season - as they finished seventh in the Premier League - despite Wood's 20 goals.

This term, he has spent a long period on the sidelines injured.

But for the forward described by Forest boss Vitor Pereira as "the last piece of the puzzle", what looked like a campaign to forget could now end as one to remember.

Wood gives Forest Europa League semi-final advantage over Villa

Wood's spot-kick, smashed high beyond Emi Martinez, was his 200th career goal and gives Forest something to defend at Villa Park next week.

The New Zealand international only returned this month, having been sidelined since October with his knee issue.

He missed the entirety of Sean Dyche's reign, having surgery in December, but started the quarter-final first-leg draw in Porto three weeks ago.

Lucas Digne's baffling decision to raise his arms and handle the ball as Omari Hutchinson tried to keep it in play gave Wood his chance with 19 minutes left.

There was an audible cheer when Wood stepped up to take the penalty - Morgan Gibbs-White having missed from the spot against Strum Graz and Braga this season.

There was a sense of expectation, which is only fair as Wood has not missed a penalty in 10 years - since failing to score against Hull for Leeds in April 2016.

He has now scored 28 successive spot-kicks.

"That's what I have to do and that's what I try to do. It's the job, the responsibility that my team gives me," he told TNT.

"It's cup competitions. They come down to small margins at times. Both teams played very well. But it's small moments that can potentially change games. Thankfully it went in our favour tonight and hopefully again next week.

"It's one leg of the tie. It's nice to have the advantage but going to Villa Park will be a tough game. They're good at their place. But we've done the job here at home and now hopefully we'll build into next week."

He scored in last Friday's 5-0 Premier League win at Sunderland - his first goal since a penalty against Midtjylland in October - and has six goals in 19 games for club and country this season.

Wood, 34, has explained he will have to manage his knee injury for the rest of his life - but after watching so much of Forest's battle against the Premier League drop from the sidelines, he is just glad to be back in action and scoring.

"That's all I wanted to do," he said. "I wanted to get back fit and firing to help my team as best as I can at the end of the season. I knew we had a lot to play for when I was fighting to get fit and it's showing. It's some big competitions to be a part of.

"We're in the crunch end of the season. We need to perform on both parts and we'll be looking to do that for sure."

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Chris Wood has scored three Premier League goals during an injury-hit season

Forest are 16th and five points clear of the relegation zone having battled the drop all season but have scored nine goals in their last two Premier League games.

Wood added a second at Sunderland as he continued his comeback and the former Leeds and Burnley striker has returned in time to save Forest from the Championship.

They go to Chelsea in the league on Monday - before next Thursday's second leg at Villa Park - having missed their main striker.

Igor Jesus has five top-flight goals - 15 in all competitions - having deputised for Wood after joining from Botafogo last summer.

But Forest - now nine unbeaten in all competitions - have missed Wood and his on-pitch leadership.

Boss Pereira said: "Chris Wood is not only a top player, he is a player who has the spirit and experience. He does a lot and we are in a good moment with a good spirit.

"In my mind everyone has an image of him. An experienced player, quality, scores goals and he gives us the balance to release other players to score goals.

"The centre-backs... he fixes the centre-backs because in a second he can create something and Morgan [Gibbs-White], Igor [Jesus] and the midfielders... they have the spaces to score goals.

"It was the last piece of the puzzle."

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