On a rain-soaked Wednesday night at the Swansea.com Stadium, Swansea City produced a comeback for the ages, overturning a 2-0 deficit to defeat Premier League side Nottingham Forest 3-2 in the third round of the Carabao Cup. The victory, sealed in the dying moments by a determined Cameron Burgess, sent shockwaves through South Wales and left Forest’s new manager Ange Postecoglou searching for answers after his second defeat in as many games.
From the outset, the match promised drama. Forest, under Postecoglou’s guidance since early September, looked every bit the top-flight side in the first half. Igor Jesus, Forest’s Brazilian forward, was in electric form, notching a brace to put the visitors firmly in control. His first came in the 14th minute, a poacher’s finish after a low cross deflected into his path. The second, just before halftime, capped a slick, 19-pass move that sliced through Swansea’s midfield and defense, leaving the home side reeling as the halftime whistle sounded.
“There have been some breathtaking moves that would cut most teams apart,” observed BBC analyst James Perch, as Forest’s attacking trio of Bakwa, Hutchinson, and Jesus repeatedly stretched the hosts. Jesus even celebrated his opener with a trademark ‘Kamehameha’ inspired by Dragon Ball Z, a moment that seemed to signal Forest’s confidence and intent.
Swansea, however, were not without fight. The first half saw glimpses of intent from debutants Ishe Samuels-Smith and Manuel Benson, while Malick Yalcouye’s surging run into the box in the 34th minute led to a penalty appeal waved away by referee Bobby Madley. With no VAR in the Carabao Cup until the semi-finals, the Swans were left frustrated, and pundits Jobi McAnuff and Michael Dawson agreed it was a clear penalty. “Anywhere else on the pitch, it’s a foul,” Dawson insisted on Sky Sports.
The second half brought a different Swansea City. Head coach Alan Sheehan adjusted his tactics, pushing his team higher and demanding more urgency. The turning point arrived in the 68th minute when Eom Ji-sung, increasingly influential on the right, delivered a pinpoint corner. Cameron Burgess, the Scotland-born Socceroos defender and Swansea’s new captain, rose above the crowd to power a header past Forest’s John Victor, halving the deficit and igniting belief among the home supporters.
Forest responded with substitutions, introducing Callum Hudson-Odoi and Arnaud Kalimuendo, but their attempts to kill off the game fell flat. Hudson-Odoi curled wide, Kalimuendo struck the side-netting, and McAtee saw his effort cleared off the line. It was a spell that should have buried the contest, but as Postecoglou later lamented, “We had plenty of opportunities to finish them off and didn’t. That’s not what happens, particularly in cup football.”
The drama truly exploded in stoppage time. With Forest seemingly set for victory, Swansea’s Liam Cullen, sharp off the bench, found space on the left and delivered a low cross. Slovenian substitute Zan Vipotnik, on the pitch for barely 15 minutes, timed his run perfectly and swept the ball home in the 93rd minute. The stadium erupted as hope turned into belief.
But the night belonged to Burgess. In the seventh minute of added time, Ethan Galbraith unleashed a thunderous strike from 25 yards that rattled the woodwork. As the ball ricocheted back into play, Burgess reacted with lightning speed, stretching to volley the rebound into the net. The Swansea.com Stadium exploded in celebration, and Burgess, arms wide, was mobbed by teammates. “We just kept going. I saw Galbraith’s shot hit the bar and thought, I’m getting there first. The crowd were unreal. They lifted us when we needed it most,” Burgess told reporters after the match.
For Forest and Postecoglou, it was a collapse that will sting for weeks. The Australian manager, who replaced Nuno Espirito Santo this month, was left stunned on the touchline. “I just thought it was a game we really should have killed off long before it got to the stage that it did. I got the sense we were getting a bit comfortable and thought the game would finish off easily. But that’s not what happens, particularly in cup football,” he said. Postecoglou, who had begun his Forest tenure with a 3-0 defeat at Arsenal, now faces mounting pressure to steady the ship.
Referee Bobby Madley, no stranger to controversy, was again in the spotlight. His decision to wave away Swansea’s first-half penalty appeal drew ire from pundits and fans alike, and his presence was felt throughout a game already brimming with tension. “That moment set the tone,” noted one observer. “Forest got away with a few late challenges, and Swansea’s momentum was clipped more than once without consequence.”
Sheehan, meanwhile, was effusive in his praise for his players, especially Burgess. “We showed incredible character. To come back like that against Premier League opposition says everything about the group. The lads didn’t panic, they stuck to the plan and they got their reward,” he said, before singling out Burgess as “a warrior” who “drives standards and tonight he delivered in the biggest moments.” Debutants Samuels-Smith and Benson were also commended for settling quickly on a high-pressure night.
For the Swans, the win was more than just a place in the fourth round—it was a statement of intent and a testament to the team’s resilience. Player ratings reflected the night’s heroes: Burgess earned a standout 9 for his two-goal performance and leadership, while Galbraith’s midfield engine and crucial involvement in the winning goal earned him an 8. Vipotnik, the equaliser hero, summed up the mood: “It’s a special feeling. Liam put it on a plate and I just had to finish it. We believed we could turn it around.”
Forest now turn their attention back to the Premier League with a trip to Burnley looming, while Swansea ride a wave of momentum into their Championship clash at Birmingham City. For one night, under the floodlights and in front of a roaring East Stand, Swansea City reminded everyone why cup football remains the heartbeat of the English game—full of chaos, unpredictability, and, above all, hope.
