Nottingham Forest edged Ipswich Town 1-0 at the City Ground on Saturday, bringing an end to their run of back-to-back Premier League defeats.
The decisive moment came early in the second half when Jota Silva was brought down by Sammie Szmodics inside the penalty area.
Referee Tony Harrington pointed to the spot, and Chris Wood made no mistake, calmly converting the penalty.
That goal was significant for Wood, as it marked his 24th Premier League strike for Forest, drawing him level with Bryan Roy as the club’s all-time leading scorer at this level.
The game wasn’t without controversy, with Forest denied what appeared to be a second penalty later on when Wood was fouled again. Harrington, however, waved away the protests, leaving the Forest bench visibly frustrated.
Cameron Burgess criticises Jota Silva
The penalty that was awarded sparked anger from the Ipswich camp, particularly defender Cameron Burgess.
While Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna admitted he could see why the penalty was given, Burgess didn’t hold back in his criticism of Silva’s role in the incident.
Speaking to the BBC, Burgess said: “Szmods didn’t think he’d got him. I haven’t seen it. He went down in a heap and made a loud noise and a squeal; they sometimes get given because of that.”
It was a sentiment echoed by several Ipswich players, who felt the decision was harsh and indicative of Silva’s theatrics.
Silva stakes his claim for a starting role
Jota Silva, who joined Forest for £11 million, was handed his first start by Nuno Espírito Santo after a series of promising displays off the bench.
While his overall performance was patchy, Silva’s contribution in winning the penalty proved decisive, justifying Nuno’s decision to include him in the starting XI.
Despite some moments of inconsistency, Silva showed glimpses of his talent and the potential to influence games.
As he continues to adjust to life in Nottingham, the Portuguese attacker will hope to build on this display and secure more starts in the weeks ahead.
Forest, meanwhile, will be buoyed by the win as they aim to climb further up the table, with Silva’s development likely to be key to their attacking aspirations.
