Chris Wood's penalty secured a vital 1-0 victory for Nottingham Forest over Aston Villa in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final. The goal came after VAR awarded a spot-kick when Lucas Digne handled the ball inside the box, with replays confirming the ball was still in play when it struck his arm.

Forest goalkeeper Stefan Ortega denied Ollie Watkins at point-blank range, while Emiliano Martinez made a sensational first-half save from Igor Jesus' volley before Wood's decisive strike. Unai Emery allowed his side to slow the tempo after falling behind, showing his experience in European competition.

The result gives Forest a precious advantage heading into next Thursday's second leg at Villa Park, where they have historically struggled. Before that crucial encounter, Aston Villa face Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday, while Forest travel to Chelsea on Monday. Both teams know their European dreams could hinge on these upcoming fixtures.