NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) — Nottingham Forest climbed out of the Premier League’s relegation zone after rallying to beat Brighton 3-1 on Wednesday.
The win was marred, however, by what looked like a serious injury to Forest defender Neco Williams, who was carried off on a stretcher and taken to the hospital after colliding with teammate Brennan Johnson.
Forest ended a four-match losing run to climb above Everton and Leicester and out of the bottom three by one point in a tight relegation race that looks likely to go to the final weekend.
“We hope the positivity that the game will give us we can use moving forward,” Forest manager Steve Cooper said. “We’ve got to make that happen.”
Johnson had an 11th-minute penalty saved by Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele before the visitors went in front, with Facundo Buonanotte — an 18-year-old Argentine making his first Premier League start — tapping in from close range in the 38th after Solly March’s shot was parried out.
Forest’s equalizer had a hint of fortune about it, with a cross from left wing back Renan Lodi deflecting in off Brighton’s Pascal Gross’ outstretched boot in the third minute of first-half stoppage time.
Forest had the better of the second half, with Brighton’s players perhaps fatigued after their exertions in going to extra time in the FA Cup semifinal loss to Manchester United on Sunday.
“After 30 or 35 minutes, we stopped playing,” Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi said. “We lost too much energy, we lost our DNA in terms of speed, power and quality.”
From one of many breaks forward, Danilo sprinted through virtually unchallenged and shot low into the far corner in the 69th.
And the home team's third goal came in the first of nearly 15 minutes of stoppage time when Morgan Gibbs-White converted a penalty after a handball at a corner from Brighton defender Lewis Dunk.
Brighton stayed in eighth place and the loss damaged its bid to qualify for a European competition next season.
The incident involving Williams came in the 59th as he attempted to reach a cross at the back post. Johnson's boot appeared to make contact with the face of Williams, who was carried off to applause from fans inside the City Ground after more than five minutes of treatment.
“We’ve got our fingers crossed for him," Cooper said.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
