Nottingham Forest secured a convincing 4-2 victory against Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Saturday, March 15, 2025, moving closer to the coveted Champions League qualification mark. The Tricky Trees showcased remarkable attacking prowess to close the gap on second-placed Arsenal, maintaining their push for European football.
The match saw Anthony Elanga shine, scoring twice, with Nikola Milenkovic also making headlines by contributing both a goal and an assist. Together, their efforts propelled Nottingham Forest to a commanding lead, as they struck three times within just six-and-a-half minutes during the first half.
The deadlock was broken by Milenkovic, who reacted quickly to capitalize on Ipswich’s defensive errors. The 35th-minute goal came off the backside of Milenkovic, who lased the ball powerfully from close range, leaving the home side stunned.
Elanga then doubled Forest’s lead just two minutes later after capitalizing on poor defending from Ipswich. A slick, quick counter-attack led to Elanga controlling the ball with deft precision before curling it around Ipswich’s keeper, Alex Palmer. By the 42nd minute, the young winger scored his second, showcasing his pace and awareness, as he darted onto a long pass from Milenkovic and placed his shot neatly past Palmer.
Forest didn’t let up, and before the halftime break, they secured their third goal, drastically altering the mood at Portman Road. Jota Silva capped off the scoring for Forest with his strike at the 87th minute, seemingly putting the game beyond reach for the hosts.
Facing dire circumstances, Ipswich managed to add consolation goals through Jens Cajuste, whose stunning strike in the 82nd minute perked up their spirits momentarily, and George Hirst’s late header at 90+3 minutes. Yet, their efforts came too late to shift the tide of the match.
This result leaves Ipswich Town staring down the barrel of relegation, as they sit nine points adrift of safety. Recent results have compounded their struggles, with the team still seeking their first win of 2025, marking them as the only team without one across England's top four tiers.
The stakes were high, and Nottingham Forest took full advantage of the poor positioning of the Ipswich backline. Forest's xG (expected goals) was 1.28 compared to Ipswich's mere 0.48, signifying the one-sided nature of this encounter.
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo celebrated his 50th Premier League match at the helm with his side demonstrating the kind of attacking intensity and transition play he has instilled during his tenure. The emphatic win is characteristic of the high-energy style Santo encourages.
Despite the defeat, Ipswich's head coach Kieran McKenna remains optimistic about turning the season around, citing the need for improvement as they attempt to claw back points to survive the drop. The Tractor Boys' lineup suffered from injury woes, and McKenna will need to galvanize his squad quickly as the business end of the season approaches.
Nottingham Forest, now just one point behind second-placed Arsenal, is aiming to secure consecutive rights to play among Europe’s elite. Across the season, the Tricky Trees have shown resilience and determination, significant traits often associated with clubs of their stature.
Heading forward, Forest takes immense confidence from this win, positioning themselves not just as contenders for European qualification but as a team with the quality and ambition to achieve greater things.
On the other side, Ipswich Town's future now rests on their ability to transform their performance metrics as they continue to face mounting pressure. Failure to do so may very well spell the end of their Premier League ambitions.