Crystal Palace goalkeeper Walter Benitez produced a remarkable save to prevent Nottingham Forest from taking a two-goal lead at Selhurst Park.
Forest were ahead through an early Dan Ndoye goal when Morgan Gibbs-White’s effort from outside the penalty area was deflected towards the crossbar. Benitez got a touch to send the ball onto the woodwork, but it dropped into the six-yard box with Liam Delap unmarked nearby.
Delap appeared to have a simple finish from roughly four yards, yet Benitez recovered quickly and stayed upright as the Forest striker struck a powerful volley directly at him. The Palace goalkeeper’s intervention drew praise during the broadcast, while the chance also represented a major missed opportunity for Forest.
Palace made Forest pay for failing to convert. Just five minutes after Benitez had kept out Delap, Daichi Kamada reacted to a loose ball in the box and finished from close range to bring the hosts level.
The sequence left Benitez with a spectacular save to celebrate and Forest wondering how they had not extended their advantage.
