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Nottingham Forest Shocks Defending Champions Arsenal with 10-Man Triumph in FA Cup Clash
In a stunning upset at the City Ground, defending champions Arsenal faced a shocking 4-2 defeat against 10-man Championship side Nottingham Forest, marking the first time under Arsene Wenger that the Gunners have exited the Emirates FA Cup in the third round.
Super Eagles forward Alex Iwobi returned to the Arsenal starting lineup but could not prevent the team’s unexpected elimination. Nottingham Forest’s triumph was secured through a brace from Eric Lichaj and goals from Ben Brereton and Kieran Dowell. Arsenal managed to find the net through Per Mertesacker and Danny Welbeck.
The turning point in the match came in the 21st minute when Lichaj, with a precise header, converted Dowell’s free-kick to put Forest ahead. Mertesacker equalized just three minutes later, capitalizing on a close-range free-kick. Forest’s persistence paid off as Lichaj secured his second goal with a thunderous volley, making it 2-1.
In the 64th minute, Brereton extended Forest’s lead by converting a penalty after Cash was fouled in the box. Although Welbeck narrowed the deficit to 3-2 in the 79th minute, Dowell’s penalty in the 84th minute, awarded after a contentious foul on Armand Traore, sealed the fate of the match.
The drama continued as Forest was reduced to 10 men when Joe Worrall received a straight red card in the 89th minute. Despite a late scare from a short back-pass, Forest managed to hold on to their lead, ending Arsenal’s FA Cup journey for this season. The match will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the FA Cup’s historic upsets, leaving fans and pundits alike in disbelief.
