Awoniyi Scores Twice as Nottingham Forest Defeats Chelsea

In a notable performance in the English Premier League, Nottingham Forest secured a 3-1 victory over Chelsea on May 1, 2026, with forward Taiwo Awoniyi marking his 100th appearance for the club by scoring two goals. This match also marked Awoniyi's first brace in the league since May 2023, once again against Chelsea, and continued Forest's positive record at Stamford Bridge, where they remained unbeaten in their last four visits.

The match began promisingly for Forest, who took the lead within the first two minutes. Awoniyi leapt high to connect with a cross from Dilane Bakwa, skillfully directing a header past Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Robert Sánchez. Chelsea responded with pressure, with Enzo Fernández narrowly missing an equalizer as his shot hit the post. Despite Chelsea's attempts, Forest soon doubled their lead thanks to a mistake in the Chelsea defense: defender Malo Gusto fouled Awoniyi in the box, leading to a penalty after a VAR review. Igor Jesus coolly converted the penalty, extending Forest's lead to 2-0.

Although Chelsea's debutant Jesse Derry suffered an injury that resulted in a lengthy stoppage, Forest maintained composure. Late in the first half, Cole Palmer’s penalty was saved by Matz Sels, preventing Chelsea from reducing the deficit at that critical moment.

In the second half, Awoniyi completed his brace, effectively sealing the victory with another well-executed goal. Although Chelsea managed to score a goal late in the game, it came too late to alter the outcome, resulting in a deserved win for Nottingham Forest.

This match marked a concerning low for Chelsea, who had now experienced six consecutive league losses, their worst run of results since 1993. As a result, they found themselves in ninth place, with no prospect of finishing in the top five.

Contrarily, Nottingham Forest’s outlook was much brighter as they advanced six points clear of the relegation zone with three matches left in the season. Their unbeaten streak of seven matches suggested that Premier League safety was almost assured. Moving forward, their attention would shift to the UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg against Aston Villa.