Nottingham Forest moved within 90 minutes of a first European final in more than four decades after defeating Aston Villa 1-0 in the opening semi-final at the City Ground.
A decisive moment arrived in the 71st minute when Lucas Digne was judged to have handled the ball inside the penalty area after Omari Hutchinson hooked a rebound against the French defender's arm. Despite officials initially signalling a goal-kick, VAR prompted a review and the penalty was awarded.
Key developments
Chris Wood stepped forward and fired his spot-kick beyond Emiliano Martinez, whose earlier heroics had kept Forest at bay. The Aston Villa goalkeeper produced a remarkable stop to deny Igor Jesus in the first half, palming a powerful volley away before the ball crossed the line.
Villa had their own chances, with Ollie Watkins denied at close range by Stefan Ortega, but Unai Emery's side opted to manage the tempo for long periods even after Forest took the lead. Emery, a seasoned campaigner in this competition, will hope the dynamic changes at Villa Park next week, where Forest have struggled on recent visits.
What happens next
For Forest, the victory carries symbolic weight, arriving beneath a banner in the Trent End honouring European successes in 1979 and 1980. Neco Williams was named player of the match as the home side held firm to secure a slender but valuable advantage.
Digne's error is likely to dominate the narrative in the build-up to the return leg, with Villa now needing to overturn the deficit on familiar territory. The decision will intensify scrutiny on handball rulings after a week of contentious calls across European competition.
Both clubs return to Premier League action before the second leg. Aston Villa host Nottingham Forest's relegation-threatened rivals Tottenham on Sunday, while Forest travel to Chelsea on Monday in a fixture that could shape their top-flight survival bid.
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