Huddersfield vs Nottingham Forest LIVE: Championship play-off final result, final score and reaction tonight
Follow all the action from Wembley Stadium as the Terriers and Forest look to seal a spot in next season’s Premier League
Steve Cooper’s remarkable nine-month reinvention of Nottingham Forest gave birth to a belated new era at Wembley on Sunday. After 23 years of chaos, yearning and heartbreak, and a season in which Forest were rock bottom of the Championship in September, their resurrection to the Premier League was rendered complete as Levi Colwill’s cruel own goal settled a tense and scrappy play-off final against Huddersfield.
Carlos Corberan will have every right to feel aggrieved, having seen two credible penalty appeals waved away in a frantic second half, but fate - and John Moss - refused to budge. They are the finite margins worth hundreds of millions in this unique fixture that wagers all the travails of the season on a knife-edge. On this occasion, no matter how Huddersfield tried to wrestle an equaliser, the game seemed destined to tilt in Forest’s favour.
There was ecstasy at last for their players at full-time. They have inherited the burden of history, but players like Brennan Johnson and Djed Spence, who weren’t even born when Forest were last in the Premier League, delivered catharsis to a crowd that knew the pain of the past two decades intimately and first-hand. They will be a romantic addition to the top-flight but that is no consolation to a Huddersfield squad that were left splayed across the turf in despair, left to rue what might have been. Follow reaction from the Championship play-off final below:
Huddersfield 0-1 Nottingham Forest, 70 mins
Huddersfield make more changes as Sinani and Ward make way for Rhodes and Holmes.
Zinckernagel loses it in the midfield to gift Huddersfield the ball, the trailing team are dominating this second half they just need the goal to represent their good work.
The roles have completely reversed in this second 45. Huddersfield have had the majority of the ball but Forest are having moments of brilliance where they could double their lead.
Huddersfield 0-1 Nottingham Forest, 65 mins
Thomas is playing so well in this second half, he has created yet another chance for Huddersfield. At the moment Forest’s defence are holding well but if he keeps knocking surely he’ll break down the door.
Forest are making their first change of the match with Surridge waiting in the wings. Davis comes off in a solid match for the star who fought back from a hamstring injury to feature here.
Huddersfield 0-1 Nottingham Forest, 60 mins
Huddersfield have come alive! A great break from Thomas sees him send in a cross and win a corner as Spence plays the ball out. The chance ends in nothing but they are growing into the opportunities.
In a strange decision, Sarr has come off for Russell. The defender has been playing really well and so the decision seems an odd one.
Huddersfield are throwing absolutely everything at Forest right now, Thomas makes another great break but this time his cross is cleared.
Russell fouls Yates as so Forest have a free kick on the halfway line. They shift the ball between the back line in another patient build-up. A long range affort is saved by Nicholls.
Huddersfield 0-1 Nottingham Forest, 55 mins
The teams have settled into the second half now with the frantic chances coming to an end.
Davis does have a charge in a great position as he crosses it in but Colwill clears. Forest maintain possession and Spence, who’s had a great game, wins a corner.
Yates takes the kick but Sarr clears and O’Brien almost has a counter. Spence had to close him down and he just about handles his man.
And here’s the first yellow card as Zinckernagel fouls O’Brien and he wins a free kick.
Thomas is once again the taker but Sarr can’t quite get to it with McKenna defending well.
Huddersfield 0-1 Nottingham Forest, 50 mins
An early free kick for Huddersfield as Davis fouls Sinani. Thomas remains the set-piece taker as he sends the ball into the box.
Lees and Ward work the ball out wide but Samba punches away and then collects the ball to deter the chances.
It’s sent all the way to the other end as Yates has a punt at goal but Nicholls deals with it easily. Both sides absolutely firing in the second half.
Sinani is being swarmed whenever he gets the ball and this time he fouls Yates to gift Forest the ball.
Back underway! Huddersfield 0-1 Nottingham Forest
The second 45 are underway and all eyes will be on Huddersfield who need to find a way back into this one.
Can they do it? Or will Forest take the victory?
All the action to come.
Half-time: Huddersfield 0-1 Nottingham Forest
Here’s a look at the opening goal in this final:
Half-time: Huddersfield 0-1 Nottingham Forest
What a half of final football!
Forest had the majority of possession but Huddersfield were doing well to deter chances from the likes of Yates with Sarr defending particularly well.
But it’s the heartbreak of Colwill that is the difference so far. The own goal splits the teams after an ambitious cross from Garner saw a deflected hit from Yates go in.
Can Huddersfield bounce back? All to play for still in the second half.
Huddersfield 0-1 Nottingham Forest, 45 mins
That was so unfortunate for loanee Colwill, he tried to clear the ball as Yates looked to score but instead the ball has rebounded off of him and hit the back of the net.
How will Huddersfield handle conceding? So far so good with their defence not nervous and repelling chances from Forest who sense a second before half-time.
There will be one added minute.
GOAL! Huddersfield 0-1 Nottingham Forest (Colwill OG, 42 mins)
Well, well! What a hit from Yates!
Garner whallops the ball into the bpx and Yates hits the ball, it looks like Colwill has an own goal.
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