Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest; Premier League
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Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest. Premier League.
Portman Road.
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Ipswich 1-1 Nottingham Forest: Julio Enciso cancels out Neco Williams opener amid VAR controversy
Report and free match highlights as Issa Diop controversially survives a red card after a VAR review for a last-man challenge on James McAtee; Julio Enciso cancelled out Neco Williams' opening goal
Friday 23 October 2026 22:54, UK
Nottingham Forest's woes in front of goal continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Ipswich despite dominating the game.
Forest were guilty of squandering a hatful of chances as they created 2.31 worth of expected goals and won the shot count 17-7 but only had Neco Williams' first-half goal to show for their big volume.
That lead was cancelled out just before the break by Julio Enciso after a mistake from Nikola Milenkovic.
Forest were also aggrieved that Issa Diop survived a red card after the Ipswich defender was shown just a yellow card after referee Thomas Bramall was sent to the pitchside monitor by VAR to check the defender's tackle on James McAtee for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
Forest boss Oliver Glasner said: "It felt during the game it's a clear red card. I think it was the wrong decision."
Leif Davis twice cleared off the line for Ipswich while Liam Delap and Callum Hudson-Odoi both were very wasteful in front of goal.
Delap's big moment arrived against his former club on 74 minutes but he headed over after Abdoul Ouattara's miscued clearance and then sent a 30-yard piledriver fractionally wide.
Forest lost Williams to a worrying arm injury minutes later and there was still time for Hudson-Odoi to drill wide for the visitors before Ipswich substitute Jack Clarke fired off target to ensure the spoils were shared.
No team have underperformed their expected goals data more than Forest this season, scoring just six times from 13.4 worth of chances created. It leaves them with just one win from their eight games.
Ipswich now have as many points at Portman Road in the Premier League this season as they managed in the entirety of their previous campaign in 2024/25 (7).
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Should Diop have seen red?
Diop was shown a yellow card after referee Thomas Bramall was sent to the pitchside monitor by VAR to check the defender's tackle on McAtee as denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
Bramall announced to the crowd: "After review, there is a foul by Ipswich No.6. However, because the player knocks it to the right side of the goal, the final decision is direct free-kick and a yellow card to No.6".
Former Forest boss Steve Cooper said on Sky Sports: "There's a failing in this - [the referee] should have given a free-kick straight away. It was as clear a free-kick as probably there was in the whole game.
"The red card will split decision. Forest fans and staff and players will feel hard done by but if it had gone against Ipswich, they would definitely have felt hard done by."
The key moments from Portman Road…
- 6: CHANCE FOR FOREST! Jair Cunha stings the gloves of Christian Walton as Forest start with lots of intent with the wind at their backs.
- 13: GOAL FOR FOREST! Williams pops up at the back post to sweep home a fantastic cross from Daniel Munoz to give Forest a deserving lead.
- 33: OFF THE LINE! A combination of Walton's big toe and a last-ditch clearance off the line from Gibbs-White denies Forest a second.
- 41: GOAL FOR IPSWICH! Milenkovic fluffs his attempted pass back to Sels and Enciso raises onto the loose ball and slots in the equaliser against the run of play.
- 49: NO RED CARD! VAR advise the referee to check the pitchside monitor for a denial of a clear goal-scoring opportunity after McAtee is wiped out by Diop. Only a yellow card is shown.
- 64: DAVIS OFF THE LINE AGAIN! Dan Ndoye is this time denied by another clearance from the Ipswich left-back.
Gibbs-White on the mystery of Forest's finishing problem
Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White to Sky Sports:
"We've had so many good performances. Again tonight, I felt like we had a lot of chances. We should have won the game.
"As long as we keep performing like this, the wins are going to have to come.
"This is the question we've been asking ourselves in training every week. We've been doing shooting drills and everything. If you could see how we were shooting yesterday, it was top.
Glasner: The goals will come
Nottingham Forest boss Oliver Glasner:
"Unfortunately they couldn't go in today. It's not good enough but I'm proud of the boys for continuing to keep going and keeping performances high.
"Mixed [feeling] but more positive. When you play an away game like we did today, playing so well and dealing with all the situations...
"The reaction in the second half was amazing, the way we played such a dominant second half, keeping them on one finish and this was in the 94th minute I guess, and having many situations we could score from.
"I really loved the reaction, I loved the way we played, I loved the spirit we had today and that's how we will continue, building up the performances and staying patient. The goals will come."
O'Neil: Survival won't be easy despite great start
Ipswich boss Gary O'Neil:
"We want a second year in the Premier League but we will try and finish as high as we can. Anyone who thinks it's going to be easy can watch tonight's game back because Forest are down the bottom of the league but they're a top side with top players. They should be a good side, the amount of money they have spent and well coached.
"Newly promoted sides can find it difficult but we have bridged that gap well. We have found a way most weeks to find a way to bridge the gap."
