Report & Highlights: Palace have to settle for a point against Forest

SUMMARY

• Palace name an unchanged side after the semi-final win at Wembley
• 1: Forest kick-off
• 5: Lacroix shoots into the side netting with the first real chance of the game
• 36: Muñoz forces a great save from Sels at the far post
• 44: Henderson makes a wonderful last gasp save from Elanga to keep the game level
• HT – Palace 0-0 Nottingham Forest
• 49: Wood looks certain to score for Forest but Lacroix deflects his shot only millimetres wide of goal
• 60 – GOAL: Eze converts a penalty following a VAR review, after Mitchell is fouled
• 64 – GOAL: Forest get level when Murillo deflects a Williams shot into the Palace goal
• 80: Nketiah fires over from a tight angle as Palace push for a winner
• 88: Eze’s stunning effort comes back off the crossbar
• 91: Nketiah turns home Eze’s shot – but from an offside position
• FT – Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest

Ebere Eze’s penalty gave Palace the lead on the hour mark, but Murillo levelled for the visitors only four minutes later. Despite plenty of late pressure the Eagles couldn’t find a winner – but do extend their unbeaten home run to six matches.

Unchanged from the side that dominated Aston Villa at Wembley, Oliver Glasner’s team started brightly, with chances for both Maxence Lacroix and Chris Richards in the early stages.

But after those early flurries from set-pieces, it was a case of defences on top throughout the first quarter.

Forest’s first moment of inspiration came when Anthony Elanga burst down the Eagles right-hand side and put a dangerous ball across the face of goal – but neither Chris Wood nor Morgan Gibbs-White could connect.

Daniel Muñoz was the first Palace player to work Forest’s Matz Sels, the Colombian arriving at the back post to meet Ismaïla Sarr’s deep cross.

His first-time volley was on target but kept out by a smart reaction from Sels. At the other end Gibbs-White found Anderson lurking at the Palace back post, but he could only fire at the side-netting from close range.

It would be Dean Henderson who produced the best moment of quality in the first-half. Nicolas Dominguez brilliantly found Wood who played it into the path of Elanga, but the Palace keeper spread himself big and got a crucial hand on it, ensuring it was level at the break.

Both sides began the second-half with huge chances. Sarr went close for Palace, breaking through the middle, only for Sels to react with an excellent stop.

Forest immediately countered down the other end and played in the lively Wood, he steadied himself for a shot on goal – but somehow it was blocked by the excellent Lacroix, just about going beyond the post.

Only minutes later, Neco Williams then tested Henderson’s reactions with a low shot that was well saved as Forest started to commit bodies forward.

With the game starting to open up, it was Palace who got the vital breakthrough. Tyrick Mitchell arrived at the back post and was taken out by Forest keeper Sels.

After Andy Madley was sent to the pitchside monitor for a review, he awarded the Eagles a penalty – with Ebere Eze making no mistake from the spot, coolly sending Sels the wrong way.

Forest responded instantly. A wonderful curling free-kick from Elanga required a strong left-hand from Henderson to keep it level.

But they were level seconds later, Williams shot flicked on by Murillo to leave Henderson stranded – and Palace in need of a response.

Glasner threw on forward Eddie Nketiah with 15 minutes to play as the hosts started to throw caution to the wind.

And the substitute when close just five minutes later, Sarr playing in a lovely ball behind the Reds defence – only for Nketiah to fail to hit the target.

It was the Eagles finishing the stronger, with fellow substitute Will Hughes also having a positive impact from the bench. Lacroix was next to go close – heading just over after fellow centre-back Guéhi hooked a dangerous cross across the Forest goal.

Eze then produced arguably the shot of the match with only a few minutes left – but his wonderful curling effort rattled the crossbar with Sels beaten. And the No. 10 temporarily thought he’d provided the winning moment when his cross-shot was diverted in by Nketiah, only for the striker to be in an offside position.

Hughes went close with a pot-shot from a tight angle deep into injury time, but time eventually ran out for the Eagles.

The point extends our recent unbeaten run to four games and leaves us 12th in the Premier League with three games to play.

Palace return to action away at Tottenham this coming Sunday (11th May, 14:15 BST).

Palace: Henderson (GK), Richards, Lacroix, Guéhi, Muñoz, Wharton (Hughes, 60), Kamada (Lerma, 80), Mitchell, Eze, Sarr, Mateta (Nketiah, 75)

Subs not used: Matthews (GK), Clyne, Chilwell, Devenny, Esse, França.

Nottingham Forest: Sels (GK); Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo (Morato, 81), Williams, Anderson, Sangare (Yates, 76), Elanga, Gibbs-White, Dominguez (Sosa, 66), Wood.

Subs not used: Miguel (GK), Awoniyi, Toffolo, Silva, Danilo, Boly.

AS IT HAPPENED