Nottingham Forest 3-1 Brentford: Chris Wood’s Double Powers Forest to Winning Start
Nottingham Forest kicked off their campaign in style with a confident 3-1 win over Brentford at the City Ground, driven by a first-half brace from Chris Wood and a debut goal from Dan Ndoye. Forest stormed to a three-goal halftime lead before a second-half penalty from Igor Thiago offered the Bees only brief hope.
Key Moments
- Rapid Start: Chris Wood gave Forest the dream start, finding the net in the 5th minute with a clinical finish inside the box.
- Ndoye’s Debut Delight: New signing Dan Ndoye doubled the advantage in the 42nd minute, latching onto a clever through-ball before slotting past Brentford’s debutant goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher.
- Wood’s Second: Deep into injury time at the end of the first half, Wood rounded Kelleher to make it 3-0, capping a blistering first 45 minutes for Nuno Espírito Santo’s side.
- Brentford’s Consolation: Igor Thiago scored a penalty for Brentford in the 78th minute, but the visitors struggled to mount any meaningful comeback throughout the second half.
Stats at a Glance
| Nottingham Forest | Brentford | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 3 | 1 |
| Shots (on target) | 11 (7) | 9 (4) |
| Possession | 45% | 55% |
| xG | ~1.8 | ~1.1 |
| Corners | 6 | 3 |
Player of the Match
Chris Wood delivered an outstanding display, providing both the cutting edge and leadership up front, quickly establishing himself as the key man for Forest’s season opener.
Takeaways
- Forest looked sharp, dangerous in transition, and defensively resolute when needed. Early chemistry between signings and old heads bodes well for their coming campaign.
- Brentford, in their first top-flight match under Keith Andrews, struggled to contain the home side’s intensity early and couldn’t respond until the game was already beyond them.
Nottingham Forest’s return to the City Ground saw a rousing victory and plenty of optimism for their supporters.
