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Football

Nottingham Forest

vs Leicester City. Premier League.

2: 15pm, Sunday 11th May 2025.

The City Ground Attendance: Attendance30, 245.

Report and free match highlights as Facundo Buonanotte snatches late draw at Nottingham Forest; Forest secure European football for next season; Forest Owner Evangelos Marinakis was visibly angry at full-time, in discussion with Nuno Espirito Santo

Football Journalist

@williambitibiri

Sunday 11 May 2025 17: 37, UK Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Facundo Buonanotte's late goal earned an already-relegated Leicester City a 2-2 draw at the City Ground to dent Nottingham Forest's Champions League ambitions. A point was all that was needed to secure a top-seven finish for Nuno Espirito's side, meaning they end a 29-year wait for European football. However, one point could have been all three before Buonanotte cancelled out Chris Wood's 20th goal of the season with just nine of the 90 minutes remaining. A late setback means that Forest have failed to capitalise on Chelsea's 2-0 loss at Newcastle on Sunday afternoon and stay outside of the top five Champions League qualification spots. Forest Frustrations boiled over after full-time when owner Evangelos Marinakis entered the field of play, voicing his concerns towards boss Nuno. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player On an afternoon that placed Forest on the brink of history, a rampant City Ground played into early nerves. Forest were pegged back and punished for a sloppy start when Conor Coady anticipated a Mats Sels parry from a Bilal El Khannouss effort, to head home. But an inspired Morgan Gibbs-White took the impetus as he rose highest to head in a captain's goal to bring his side level nine minutes later. The scorer of the first Forest goal turned provider of what the City Ground thought was enough to be a winner, when his peach of a cross was powered home by Wood. But Buonanotte, a 61st-minute substitute, replacing Jordan Ayew, showed tremendous composure as he wound through a chasing Forest defence to level things up.

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The dying periods belonged to Leicester, who came close to a winning goal but a late Sels save to deny Jeremy Monga spared Forest any late embarrassment. Nuno said his exchange with club owner Marinkis arose as a result of confusion over Taiwo Awoniyi's injury situation. A late Forest break, which was later adjudged to be offside, saw Anthony Elanga attempt to set up a freshly introduced Awoniyi. The Nigerian forward missed the chance and clattered into the post instead. Awoniyi gingerly continued but was visibly in discomfort as he continued to play on. Forest made a change following the collision, but it was Elliot Anderson that made way for Jota Silva. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Explaining his resulting discussion with Marinakis, Nuno told Sky Sports: "It was due to the situation. There was a confusion over the situation of [Awoniyi]. There was frustration to play 10 minutes with a player who had so much confidence and being positive that he's going to score. "We made the sub, then played with one man less. That causes frustration, it's obvious. " The Forest boss also came to the defence of Marinakis, passing off the exchange as "emotions". "Football is emotions. It's difficult to control, especially when we had so much expectation today. "The fans were incredible, we wanted to proceed the fight. It's not in our hands now, we appreciate the effort of the players and the enthusiasm of the fans. "It's not in our hands, but it's not over. " Forest midfielder Gibbs-White did not pull any punches when reacting to his side's underwhelming draw. Forest have now failed to win in any of their last four games. "These past three or four games have just not been good enough, " Gibbs White told Sky Sports. "We played well on the ball today, but we can't concede two goals like that today. It's just frustrating. " Gibbs-White pointed to his side's lack of experience when explaining his side's recent wobble. "None of us have been in this situation before. We handled it well at first, but as it's started to come away from us we haven't handled it so well. "It's down to experience, maybe, in these positions, but we're new to it. We're still building as a team and a club. "If you'd have said at the start of the season we'd secure Europe with two games to go, we'd have snatched your hand off. "We have to look at it in a positive way, but also recognise the opportunity was there. " Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Correctly predict six scorelines for a chance to win £250, 000 for free. Entries by 3pm Saturday. Tom from Southampton became a millionaire for free with Super 6! Could you be the next jackpot winner? Play for free!

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