
Swansea produced an incredible late comeback to come from 2-0 down to beat Nottingham Forest 3-2 in the Carabao Cup third round and deny Ange Postecoglou a first win.
Igor Jesus scored twice on his first start for Forest to put the visitors in control at the Swansea.com Stadium, but the narrative changed after the break.
Cameron Burgess first headed in with just over 20 minutes to play but as the game entered stoppage time, Postecoglou’s side looked set for the next round.
But Zan Vipotnik came off the Swansea bench to attack a cross from the left and level in the 93rd minute, before Burgess struck for a second time four minutes later to send the home fans wild after the most dramatic of finishes.
Swansea had a swagger about their play early on in wet and windy conditions in South Wales, but they were quickly brought down to Earth when Brazil international Jesus tucked a shot inside the right-hand post after Josh Key had taken the sting out of a fierce Omari Hutchinson shot.
That goal changed the game’s direction, but the hosts should, arguably, have been given a chance to level from the spot after Malick Yalcouye went down under pressure from Willy Boly.
Speaking on Sky Sports Football at half-time, Jobi McAnuff said it was “100 per cent a penalty.” In real time, however, referee Bobby Madley did not agree.
Seconds before the break, Forest doubled their lead – in the silkiest fashion. James McAtee played a smart one-two with Nicolo Savona and crossed to the far post, where Hutchinson was waiting to cushion the ball into the path of Jesus, who did the rest.
Swansea were more energetic after the break and pulled one back with just over 20 minutes to play, when Burgess powered in a header from a corner to notch his first goal since a summer move from Ipswich.
Vipotnik then scored for the fifth game in succession when his deft touch on Liam Cullen’s cross beat John Victor in the Forest goal, before Burgess scored a second goal in a game for the first time in his career to cap a memorable night.
Analysis: Defeat raises more questions than answers about Forest
Sky Sports’ Anton Toloui at the Swansea.com Stadium:
“Much will be put on Ange Postecoglou after throwing a two-goal lead away to a team from the division below, but it was a collective failure in south Wales.
“Forest stuck to a game plan, bringing off two-goal striker Igor Jesus at half-time to get a look at new signing Arnaud Kalimuendo, which backfired.
“They also brought on Morgan Gibbs-White and Callum Hudson-Odoi on the hour mark to give Douglas Luiz and Dilane Bakwa a rest – and it all fell apart.
“‘Ange-Ball’ looked good at times. You could clearly see the fruits of his labour when Forest scored their second goal. Six different players were involved in the mesmerising build-up.
“But that was a game they should never have lost. They had chances to extend their lead and didn’t show the kind of fight and determination needed to see off plucky opponents late on.
“The Carabao Cup was a chance to show what players in this squad who aren’t guaranteed a place in the Premier League starting XI can do. Instead, we now have more questions than answers about what Nottingham Forest are this season.”
Ange: We should’ve killed game off long before the end – we’ve paid a heavy price
Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou to Sky Sports:
“I thought it was a game we should’ve killed off long before it got to the stage that it did. I thought we’d be comfortable and the game would finish easily. I thought we’d score a good third goal but our chance was disallowed.
“This is the nature of cup football, when you’ve got the team where we had them you have to finish them off. I think the players thought it would naturally finish that way, we paid a heavy price, we have to improve.
“They had two shots from outside the box in the first-half and they didn’t test us until right at the end. There were players on the pitch that needed football and were rusty. Even without that context we should’ve ended the game.
“I’m just frustrated that we didn’t realise the danger that developed by not being more clinical with our football and killing off the game when we could’ve.
“We don’t have time for philosophical views, the opportunity today was to progress. We should’ve seen it out, we’re out of the cup and that’s disappointing. But we need to recover and get ready for a big game on Saturday.
“There should not be any deflation in the team, there should be determination to make things right.”
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