In their FA Cup match against Brighton, Nottingham Forest unexpectedly found themselves with only ten players on the pitch due to a very uncommon mistake.
Forest secured their place in the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 34 years, defeating Brighton 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw.
The unusual situation occurred in the second half of extra time, just before the penalty shootout at the Amex Stadium.
Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo intended to substitute captain Morgan Gibbs-White with Morato.
However, referee Peter Bankes prevented Morato from entering the game even after Gibbs-White had left the field.
As a result, play continued with Nottingham Forest temporarily playing with ten men, causing confusion among spectators and commentators alike.
Commentators noted the strange situation, expressing bewilderment at the events unfolding.
Gibbs-White was visibly angry at the referee`s decision to stop Morato from coming on and was booked for protesting from the sideline after being substituted.
The reason for the delay was that Morato was wearing jewelry around his neck, which is against the rules for player safety.
Fortunately for Forest, Morato quickly removed his necklace and was allowed to enter the match when play was paused again.
This unusual incident did not negatively impact Nottingham Forest`s fate, as they won the penalty shootout, with Ryan Yates scoring the decisive penalty to send his team to Wembley.
Goalkeeper Matz Sels played a crucial role in the victory, saving two penalties and securing Forest`s third penalty shootout win in this FA Cup campaign.
