Blackburn Rovers v Nottingham Forest Live Commentary & Result, 21/12/22, League Cup

That's all for today, goodbye.

Next up, Blackburn travel to Sunderland in the Championship, with Forest going to Manchester United in the Premier League.

Forest are into the EFL Cup quarter-finals for the first time since the 1993-94 season after thumping a rotated Blackburn side. Dominating the first half, the away team took the lead from the penalty spot. Fouled by Wharton inside the box, Johnson took responsibility for the spot-kick, directing the ball into the top corner. Pears made crucial saves on either side of half-time, with his interventions helping Blackburn find an equaliser against the run of play. Late on in the opening 45 minutes, Wharton crashed in a header to level the score. However, Blackburn could not swing momentum into their favour, with Cooper’s side unleashing a clinical second-half display. Lingard gave Forest the lead after his shot from the edge of the box took two deflections, before setting up the third goal. Sliding a pass towards Awoniyi, the striker rolled his marker before curling his shot into the bottom corner. As the game was entering its final moments, Johnson scored his second, slamming the ball into the bottom corner from outside the area.

90' + 3' FULL-TIME: BLACKBURN ROVERS 1-4 NOTTINGHAM FOREST

S. Surridge

Assist

90' + 2' Surridge has come on and made an impact. His role in the goal is crucial, retaining possession of the ball under pressure, and waiting for the run of Johnson. He finds him perfectly, with his low pass falling at the feet of the attacker, who does the rest.

B. Johnson

Goal

90' + 2' GOAALLLLL! JOHNSON SCORES HIS SECOND! 4-1 FOREST! It’s a clinical finish from the Forest man. Surridge holds onto the ball before sending it down the right towards the forward. From the edge of the box, Johnson drills his strike across the goal and into the bottom corner.

90' There will be three minutes of additional time.

90' Hedges curls a free-kick from the right into the grateful arms of Henderson.

B. Brereton

T. Dolan

88' Substitution for Blackburn. Substitute Dolan is now off. He is replaced by Diaz.

L. Mbe Soh

N. Williams

88' Substitution for Forest. Right-back Williams is replaced by Soh.

86' Unless there is a late comeback from Blackburn, Forest will reach the quarter-final of the League Cup for the first time since 1993-94.

B. Johnson

Yellow Card

84' Moments after coming on, Colback receives a yellow card.

J. Colback

R. Freuler

83' Another change sees Freuler, who was part of Switzerland's World Cup campaign, replaced by Colback.

S. Surridge

J. Lingard

82' With a goal and assist to his name, Lingard is given a rest. Surridge comes on for the final few minutes.

E. Dennis

T. Awoniyi

82' Substitution for Forest. Awoniyi has his goal and is now replaced. Dennis comes on in his place.

J. Lingard

Assist

79' Lingard gets an assist to add to his earlier goal. His pass to Awoniyi is disguised, slipping it through to the striker, who finishes the attack with composure. He has now been involved in 11 goals in his last 12 EFL Cup starts (six goals, five assists).

T. Awoniyi

Goal

79' GOAALLLL! AWONIYI SCORES! 3-1 FOREST! After a quiet second half for the striker, Awoniyi comes up with a goal to see Forest through to the next round. Lingard’s throughball finds the forward, who rolls a defender before tucking his attempt into the bottom corner.

77' Johnson's flick is kept alive by Awoniyi, who holds up the ball before laying it back into the path of the Wales international. Tackled, possession finds O'Brien, who slips it to Yates. With options flooding forward, he smashes it over from outside the box.

75' How have Forest not scored a third?! Toffolo's cross from the right is met by Johnson, who is denied by Pears. On the rebound, Yates is blocked by the goalkeeper, before Williams misses the target. There is still only one goal in this game.

J. Buckley

A. Wharton

73' The final switch as part of the triple-change sees James Wharton replaced by Buckley.

D. Hyam

A. Phillips

72' The second Blackburn substitution sees Phillips replaced by Hyam.

T. Dolan

D. Markanday

72' Substitution for Blackburn. Markanday is replaced by Dolan in the first of a triple-change.

71' Lingard plays the ball to Yates, who moves down the right of the box. With Awoniyi racing towards the near post, Yates cuts it back to the middle, where there is nobody in a Forest shirt.

69' Freuler lashes an effort from outside the box well over the bar. The home fans cheer sarcastically, with his effort failing to go anywhere near the goal.

68' Johnson latches onto a ball down the right, sliding to keep the ball in play. Awoniyi gets ahead of his man to get onto the low cross, but it deflects wide. Blackburn are not happy, they believe the ball went out of play before Johnson got there.

65' SAVE! Lingard goes close to scoring his second. The former West Ham loanee plays a smart one-two with Johnson on the right, gaining space inside the Blackburn box. From close range, his low effort is tame, with Pears getting down to push it away.

L. O'Brien

O. Mangala

63' Substitution for Forest. Mangala, who was sent off in the previous EFL Cup match, is replaced by O'Brien in midfield.

62' Edun carries the ball into the box before the ball is cleared away for a corner.

60' A wild kick from Pears. Under pressure from Lingard, he smashes the ball off the pitch.

57' Forest have scored three goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half, more than any other team in the EFL Cup this season.

J. Worrall

Yellow Card

55' Worrall receives a yellow card after a high challenge on Hedges.

N. Williams

Assist

54' Williams plays the free-kick a couple of yards to his right, giving Lingard the space to drive a low shot towards the goal. His attempt was goal-bound, taking two deflections before rolling into the bottom corner.

J. Lingard

Goal

53' GOAALLLL! LINGARD SCORES! 2-1 FOREST! There is luck involved with the goal, but Lingard and Forest will not care. Playing the free-kick short, the former Manchester United man rushes onto the pass from Williams before driving his shot towards the goal. Going low, his attempt deflects off both Wharton brothers, before beating the goalkeeper.

S. Wharton

Yellow Card

52' Lingard is down on the edge of the box and wants Wharton to receive a red card. Breaking forward, Wharton trips the attacker after dribbling past him. Instead, it is a yellow card. He would have had a chance to shoot, but there were covering defenders.

50' Travis chips a ball towards Hirst, but his cross is too high. Henderson comes out to claim it.

48' Forest have pushed the ball around in the first few minutes of the second half. They are looking for a gap in the Blackburn defence, but the hosts are staying strong.

46' Lingard gets the second half under way. The game will go straight to penalties if the score remains level.

T. Edun

C. Mola

46' Substitution for Blackburn at left-back. Mola is replaced by Edun. He struggled against Johnson in the first 45 minutes.

Forest dominated the first 45 minutes and should have the lead at the break. Johnson has been the best player on the pitch, sitting on the line of the last defender and breaking down the right at every opportunity. Setting the ball to Awoniyi on two occasions, the Welshman also had two chances from open play to give his side a comfortable advantage. As for Blackburn, they must help left-back Mola. He has been targeted as part of Cooper's plan of attack, with the ball constantly fed down his channel. However, despite defending for most of the first half, they did well to stay in the game, scoring from a set-piece routine in the final few minutes.

Scott Wharton powered in a late first-half header for Blackburn to deny Forest the lead at the break. After Johnson and Awoniyi were both denied at close range by Pears, it was the former who gave the Premier League side the lead from the penalty spot. Fouled by Wharton inside the box, Johnson took responsibility from 12 yards, curling the ball into the top corner. Cooper’s side continued to dominate, with Awoniyi and Johnson denied again. Comfortable for most of the first 45 minutes, Forest conceded late on. It came through the Wharton brothers, with a free-kick from younger sibling James crashed in by the head of Scott.

45' + 2' HALF-TIME: BLACKBURN ROVERS 1-1 NOTTINGHAM FOREST

45' + 1' Williams aims a free-kick from the left towards the Blackburn goal, but it is deflected out for a corner.

S. Wharton

Goal

44' GOAAALLLL! WHARTON SCORES! 1-1! It’s a great goal from the Wharton brothers. James Wharton’s free-kick from the left is met by his brother Scott, who powers a header past Henderson at the near post.

A. Wharton

Assist

44' The cross from James Wharton is fantastic. His powerful cross finds the head of his older brother who leaps the highest to direct the ball past Henderson.

43' Hedges looks for Hirst with a low and short free-kick, but it is cleared away.

42' Freuler is punished for raising his boot too high. Blackburn have a free-kick in a dangerous position. Hedges is over it and could shoot.

41' After receiving treatment, Johnson is fine to continue.

39' OVER! Johnson smashes the ball over the bar from the right after flicking it past Wharton. Moments after unleashing his strike, Garrett crashes into the attacker with Johnson still down.

37' Blackburn are enjoying a spell of possession in the Forest half. Travis whips a delightful ball into the box that is dealt with by Williams, before Hedges sees a low cross from the opposite side blocked.

36' Markanday chips the ball over the Forest defence looking for Szmodics, but he puts too much on it. Henderson comes out to claim it.

35' Chance for Blackburn. Markanday drifts in from the right before dragging his low effort wide of the post.

34' CLOSE! Forest should have a second goal. Mola cannot get control of the ball with Williams gaining possession. Bursting down the right, his curling cross into the box is flicked towards the goal by Awoniyi. Going just wide of the target, Lingard is inches away from turning the ball into an empty net.

32' Forest have avoided defeat in their last 10 matches when scoring the opening goal in the EFL Cup dating back to a 3-1 defeat against Tottenham in September 2014. They have dominated so far and have not been troubled by the Blackburn attack.

30' Freuler curls a cross in from the right with Worrall heading it wide under pressure. He wants a corner, but he is not going to get one.

28' Johnson slides the ball to Williams, who overlaps him. Inside the box, his shot from a tight angle is parried by Pears with Mola heading it behind.

26' Good move from Forest. Johnson slips the ball through to Awoniyi, who races behind him down the right. Looking for options, he cuts it back to Lingard, who leaves it for Mangala. Bursting onto the scene, his low attempt is saved by Pears.

25' BLOCK! Phillips makes a crucial intervention. Johnson is the creator once again, latching onto Lingard's throughball. Searching for Awoniyi in the middle. the striker's effort is deflected wide by the centre-back.

23' On the right, Travis delivers a cross into the box. With nobody there to make the most of his low cross, Henderson claims.

21' The cross from Williams is cleared away by Hedges. On the counter, Hirst carries the ball up the pitch before his low cross is diverted behind by Worrall.

19' Free-kick to Forest in a crossing position. Mola crashes into Williams. Lingard and Williams are over it.

17' Toffolo's cross from the left is knocked away by Mola before Lingard smashes it over the bar from outside the box.

15' All of Forest's attacks have come down the right. Johnson has been the main man so far, creating two good opportunities before earning and converting a penalty.

B. Johnson

Penalty Goal

13' GOAALLLL! JOHNSON SCORES! 1-0 FOREST! Johnson makes no mistake from the spot. The Welsh international curls the ball into the top corner with Pears diving the other way. That's his first goal in the EFL Cup this season.

11' PENALTY! Forest have a penalty and there are no complaints from the Blackburn defence. On the right, Johnson pushes the ball past Wharton, with the centre-back sliding him down.

9' SAVE! Pears denies Awoniyi this time. Choosing to shoot in the previous attack, Johnson dribbles down the right before crossing it towards the striker. One-on-one with the goalkeeper, Awoniyi's effort is blocked by Pears, who comes out quickly to make the stop.

8' Forest have won four of their last five meetings with Blackburn in all competitions (lost one), including a 2-0 win at Ewood Park in their most recent match in February last season.

6' SAVE! Pears makes the first save of the game. Down the right, Williams curls the ball up the pitch towards Johnson, who loses his marker. Bursting towards the box, he ignores Awoniyi in the middle, driving his shot straight at the Blackburn goalkeeper, who makes the save.

5' Henderson looks to launch the ball forward towards Toffolo, but the former Huddersfield Town man cannot jump high enough and it goes out of play for a throw-in.

3' Blackburn have kept the ball in the opening few minutes. They have passed it around the defence and goalkeeper under little pressure from the Forest attack.

1' Blackburn get this EFL Cup tie underway.

Due to heavy traffic, the match has been delayed by 15 minutes.

As for Forest, Cooper makes five alterations to the team that beat Valencia in their previous match. Boly replaces Cook at centre-back, with Williams coming in for Lodi. As a result, Toffolo switches from right-back to left-back. In the midfield, Freuler starts instead of O'Brien, with the final switch coming in the attack. Replaced in the first half of their final friendly, Gibbs-White does not make the squad, with Johnson taking his place.

Blackburn make 11 changes to the team that beat Norwich in the Championship last time out. Regular starters Sam Gallagher, Daniel Ayala and Tyler Morton are not in the squad, with Brereton on the bench. Trio Callum Brittain, Hayden Carter and Jack Vale are all out through injury.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST SUBS: Jordan Smith, Steve Cook, Loic Mbe Soh, Jack Colback, Lewis O'Brien, Sam Surridge, Emmanuel Dennis, Scott McKenna, Renan Lodi.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST (4-3-3): Dean Henderson; Neco Williams, Joe Worrall, Willy Boly, Harry Toffolo; Ryan Yates, Orel Mangala, Remo Freuler; Brennan Johnson, Taiwo Awoniyi, Jesse Lingard.

BLACKBURN ROVERS SUBS: Thomas Kaminski, Harry Pickering, Dominic Hyam, Tayo Edun, Tyrhys Dolan, Joe Rankin-Costello, John Buckley, Ben Brereton, Bradley Dack.

BLACKBURN ROVERS (4-2-3-1): Aynsley Pears; Lewis Travis, Clinton Mola, Ashley Phillips, Scott Wharton; Adam Wharton, Jake Garrett; Ryan Hedges, Sammie Szmodics, Dilan Markanday; George Hirst.

As for Forest, they breezed past Grimsby Town in the second round before beating Tottenham at the City Ground. With the game goalless at half-time, strikes from signings Renan Lodi and Jesse Lingard saw them make it to the EFL Cup fourth round for just the fifth time since the 1993-94 season. Beating Crystal Palace in their final match before the World Cup, they have won just three of their four friendlies in December. Steve Cooper’s side lost to Stoke City, Atromitos and Olympiacos before a triumph over Valencia.

Blackburn started their EFL Cup campaign with a 4-0 victory over Hartlepool United in the first round, before coming from behind to beat Bradford City to earn a place in the third round. Coming up against Premier League opposition, Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side progressed after a tense tie, drawing 2-2 with West Ham before winning on penalties. Since their victory in the cup, the hosts have won just one of their three Championship fixtures, losing to Burnley and Preston North End before securing three points against Norwich City last time out.

Hello and welcome to the live commentary for the EFL Cup clash between Blackburn Rovers and Nottingham Forest.

Blackburn Rovers v Nottingham Forest Live Commentary, 22/12/22

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