WOW” – Player stun Nuno Espirito Santos in 1-1 draw against Sunderland by showcasing what Nottingham has been missing all this while
Nottingham Forest managed to secure a draw against Sunderland in a pre-season friendly in Spain, despite initially falling behind. The match, played in sunny conditions, saw Forest recover from a penalty conceded due to Murillo’s error, which Jack Clarke converted.
The equalizer came unexpectedly from Omar Richards, making his debut appearance for Forest. This goal maintained the team’s unbeaten record in their summer preparations.
Forest dominated much of the play at the Pinatar Arena, with manager Nuno Espirito Santo employing a rotation strategy, fielding two different lineups during the match.
Former Forest player Julian Bennett, who was on commentary duty for Forest TV, was particularly impressed by Richards’ goal. The goal, set up by a skillful move from Anthony Elanga, left Bennett exclaiming, “Wow! Wow! Wow! What a goal, fantastic!”
Off the pitch, Forest have strengthened their squad with the signing of Serbian defender Nikola Milenkovic on a £48,000-per-week contract. The team has shown promise in their pre-season matches, scoring four goals and conceding only one in their first two friendlies.
Looking ahead, Forest will face Millwall in their next fixture, potentially providing an opportunity for Milenkovic to make his debut.
Richards, who joined Forest in 2022 but spent time on loan at Olympiacos, made a strong case for himself with his performance. Despite previous speculation about another potential loan move, his impressive goal might influence Nuno’s plans for the upcoming season.
The left-back didn’t have much defensive work to do during the match, but he capitalized on his chance to score, demonstrating his offensive capabilities to the manager.