Chris Wood fires Forest onto front foot in Euro showdown with Villa

It was the sides' first meeting ever in Europe. 

ON THE SPOT: Nottingham Forest's Chris Wood celebrates scoring their side's winner. Pic: David Davies/PA Wire.

Nottingham Forest 1 Aston Villa 0 

A late Chris Wood penalty puts them in the driving seat but Forest must still negotiate a way past their local rivals from down the M42 before they can turn their attention towards the road to Istanbul.

It's all to play for in the second-leg. But a sixth goal of an injury-plagued season 20 minutes from time as the New Zealander thrashed home an unstoppable spot kick after a needless sleight of hand by Lucas Digne ensured Vitor Pereira's side travel with real hope of representing the Premier League in the final in Turkey at the end of May.

For supporters of a certain vintage, this tie stirred thoughts of these clubs' stunning exploits on the continent in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Between them they claimed the European Cup three times in four years, the late, great Trevor Francis and John Robertson scoring winners to secure the trophy for Forest under Brian Clough in 79 and 80.

The most celebrated mis-hit of Peter Withe's career ensured Villa triumph against the odds over Bayern Munich on an unforgettable night in Rotterdam in 1982 as English clubs triumphed in seven out of eight years before the ban from European football following Liverpool's part in the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985 brought that impressive run to a jarring halt.

Back during these clubs' European heyday before the collapse of the Soviet Union, a clash between east and west normally meant a daunting trip behind the iron curtain to the Communist Bloc.

In this context at the City Ground, it was East versus West Midlands and the far from taxing 49-mile journey from the shadow of Spaghetti Junction to the banks of the River Trent for the first all-Premier League Euro semi-final for 17 years.

Any fears of an overly cagey contest from sides keen to keep their powder dry for next Thursday's return in Birmingham were quickly banished as the clubs' 137th meeting - and first ever in Europe - ticked along at a decent lick with chances at both ends.

Forest could have been ahead inside two minutes given better communication between their front two. Omari Hutchinson dodged some meaty tackles down the Villa left to swing over an inviting cross which was falling perfectly for Wood to volley goal wards from 10 yards, only for Igor Jesus to take the ball off his team-mate's toe.

Villa responded by forcing a couple of decent stops from Stefan Ortega, who beat out a fizzing Youri Tielemans effort before springing low to his right to prevent Morgan Rogers' curling effort from finding the bottom corner.

As good as both saves were, they paled into insignificance to the one produced by Emi Martinez shortly after the half-hour.

From Elliot Anderson's lofted ball into the box, Morgan Gibbs-White came up with a perfect cut-back from which Jesus looked certain to score with a well-strock volley from little more than six yards. The Brazilian's shot had actually gone past the Villa keeper before he somehow clawed the ball back to complete the save virtually on his own goal line.

Before his part in the clearest opening of the first-half, Anderson had a heart-in-mouth moment when his accidental follow-though in a sliding challenge with Ollie Watkins left his England team-mate in a heap on the turf after being caught flush on the ankle. Players have walked for less this season in both Europe and the Premier League, but thankfully after review, VAR saw sense and declined to recommend taking any further action.

Watkins was fortunate to escape a yellow card when taking retribution on the tenacious Tynesider with a late challenge on the stroke of half-time. The Villa striker showed the more palatable side of his game early in the second-half when it took a fine reaction save from Ortega to keep out the striker's instinctive close-range effort.

After its non-intervention to save Anderson in the first-half, VAR got involved with 20 minutes left to again benefit the hosts as Wood broke the deadlock from the penalty spot.

What Lucas Digne was doing with his hands so high in his attempts to shepherd a Hutchinson cross out of play, only the French defender will know. After an interminable wait to check the ball hadn't gone out, Digne's fate was sealed. Wood rammed his side in front from 12 yards with an unerring effort into the top corner to ensure it's advantage Forest ahead of the Villa Park denouement.

Nottingham Forest (4-4-2): Ortega; Aina (Abbott 75), Milenkovic, Morato, Williams; Hutchinson, Dominguez, Anderson, Gibbs-White; Wood, Igor Jesus (Yates 90). Booked:.

Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne (Luiz 78); Onana (Bogarde 55), Tielemans; McGinn (Sancho 79), Buendia (Maatsen 79), Rogers; Watkins. Booked: Tielemans.

Referee: Joao Pinheiro (Portugal)