Nottingham Forest have been promoted to the Premier League after a 1-0 win against Huddersfield Town in Sunday’s Championship play-off final.
The victory means Forest will play Premier League football for the first time since 1999.
Steve Cooper’s side were on top in the early stages, with Ryan Yates twice going close.
The crucial goal in the match came just before half-time, when Huddersfield’s Levi Colwill diverted the ball into his own net following a cross from Forest’s James Garner.
Forest continued to control proceedings as the game progressed but avoided conceding a penalty in the 73rd minute when Harry Toffolo went down in their box.
Referee John Moss, in his final game as a professional match official, determined that Toffolo had dived over the challenge from Jack Colback and booked the Huddersfield wing-back. The VAR, Paul Tierney, reviewed the decision but did not overturn it.
Huddersfield had another penalty shout in the 82nd minute, as Max Lowe challenged Lewis O’Brien, but again Moss was not forthcoming as Forest held on to victory.
Forest had defeated Sheffield United for a place in the play-off final, while Huddersfield beat Luton Town.
Promotion completes a remarkable turnaround for Forest, who had only a point from their opening seven league matches when Cooper replaced Chris Hughton in September.
Forest’s 23-year stint out of the Premier League included three seasons in League One between 2005 and 2008.
Before this season, they had only twice featured in the Championship play-offs since relegation from the Premier League. They finished third in 2009-10 and sixth the following campaign.
Forest will join Fulham and Bournemouth in next season’s Premier League, after they finished first and second in the Championship respectively.
Norwich City, Watford and Burnley were the three sides relegated from the Premier League.
(Photo: Visionhaus via Getty Images)
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