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When Forest return to action in the EFL Cup, it will be perceived that they have momentum behind them after victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace.
However, that is not necessarily the case with Steve Cooper‘s team having now lost three successive friendly fixtures, the most recent defeat coming versus Olympiacos.
Pajtim Kasami netted the only goal of the game against a strong Forest XI which featured many of Cooper’s regulars from domestic action during 2022-23.
With defeats also coming against Stoke City and Atromitos, Cooper will be increasingly eager to end their mid-season break on a high note against arguably their toughest opposition on the schedule.
Valencia are behind Forest in terms of their schedule ahead of resuming competitive matches, La Liga not getting back underway until the New Year.
The break arguably came at the wrong time for Gennaro Gattuso‘s team after they posted four points from meetings with Real Sociedad and Real Betis to move back into the mid-table spots.
Valencia prevailed from the latter by a 3-0 scoreline, and they picked up where they left off in a friendly with Clermont on December 9, securing a 4-2 triumph.
Cooper will make numerous changes to his Forest XI, Morgan Gibbs-White the most likely to drop to the substitutes’ bench after playing 82 minutes versus Olympiacos.
New addition Gustavo Scarpa featured for the remaining 29 minutes of that fixture and may be provided with a start in midfield.
Joe Worrall, Taiwo Awoniyi and Emmanuel Dennis are also in line for starts, with Brennan Johnson potentially only being selected as a substitute having played over an hour last time out after representing Wales at the World Cup.
Given the amount of half-time changes which were made versus Clermont, Gattuso may decide to stick with the same Valencia starting lineup.
In the week that the Bulls lost their most famous ex-player, FA Cup legend Ronnie Radford – 50 years on from his iconic match-winning goal against Newcastle – it briefly looked like there might be some left-over magic in the air.
For seven minutes, the sixth-tier outfit led after Miles Storey’s goal against the team 81 places above them in the English football pyramid in League One.
But Pompey hit back, with Reeco Hackett quickly levelling before second-half goals from Colby Bishop and substitute Joe Pigott earned the twice FA Cup winners a safe passage to Monday’s second-round draw
Making their first trip to Edgar Street in 38 years, Pompey were given a good first-half workout by the fired-up hosts.
Although home keeper Dale Eve had to keep out Hackett’s left-foot curler bound for the top corner, Pompey had a first real scare when Bishop’s challenge on Hereford’s former million-pound marksman Tyrone Barnett in the visitors’ penalty box went unpunished.
And there was worse to follow for Pompey when Hereford took the lead on 26 minutes.
Sean Raggett played a loose pass inside to Hackett, who was immediately closed down and robbed by Storey – and the former Pompey player raced away down the inside-left channel before keeping his cool to nutmeg on-loan West Bromwich Albion keeper Josh Griffiths.
Fittingly, just two days on from the announcement of the sad passing of Hereford’s legendary number 11, their modern-day number 11 emulated his predecessor.
There had already been a minute’s silence, which cascaded into applause from the whole ground, followed by chants of ‘there’s only one Ronnie Radford’ when the clock showed 11 minutes.
But this goal was destined not to prove so famous.
Ronan Curtis headed down Connor Ogilvie’s far-post cross for Hackett to bring down and fire home coolly from six yards.
On 63 minutes, Portsmouth took the lead when, from Clark Robertson’s in-swinging right-foot corner from the left, Bishop timed his run to get there first and head his 10th goal of the season.
And Pigott wrapped up victory 10 minutes from time when, again from a corner by skipper Robertson, Bishop won the initial header before Pigott reacted sharpest to sidefoot home
Hereford FC boss Josh Gowling told BBC Sport:
“I’m really disappointed because we should have got something out of it, but goals change games – and the quality of the delivery they have changes games.
“In the first half we were excellent. We were in the ascendancy and they looked nervous.
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“We were on top and looked like we could go on and win, but we’ve made one mistake, it has cost us a goal and that’s the difference in levels.
“We’ve given them a leg up and a little lift and you could see their performance raise after that.”
Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley told BBC Sport:
“I was so sad to hear the news about Ronnie Radford. He was such an iconic figure and he had that iconic moment. For a lot of people my age, his famous goal was their first memories of the FA Cup. But what a brilliant night to celebrate his life
After representing Uruguay at the World Cup, it is unclear whether Edinson Cavani will return to the fold for this contest.
Valencia possible starting lineup:
Mamardashvili, Correia, Mosquera, Cenk, Gaya, Nico, Lato, Almeida, Lino, Perez, Duro
Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Henderson, Aurier, Worrall, McKenna, Toffolo, Colback, Yates, Scarpa, Dennis, Awoniyi, Surridge