LEVI COLWILL netted a rare and lucrative goal which propelled Chelsea’s billion-pound boys’ club into the Champions League after a two-year absence.
And for Nottingham Forest, it was a case of what Colwill giveth, Colwill taketh away.
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It was the Chelsea defender’s own goal, while on loan at Huddersfield Town, which earned Forest promotion to the top flight in the Championship Play-Off Final of 2022.
But early in the second half, the England man scored only the fifth goal of his career to settle this final-day shoot-out for a place at European football’s top table.
And Chelsea now head to Poland for Wednesday’s Europa Conference League Final against Real Betis, knowing they are assured of a place back in the elite.
This result ensured that Enzo Maresca will survive as head coach at Stamford Bridge and will allow Todd Boehly & Co to argue that their policy of bulk-buying young players on long contracts is beginning to bear fruit.
After a tense match of few chances, Nuno Espirito Santo’s men ended up in seventh place, which earns them a place in the Conference League next term.
This season had promised far more from Forest, who were up in the top three of the Premier League for the majority of the campaign.
But they have taken just one point from their final four home matches, which ultimately killed off their ambitions of playing in a higher echelon of European competition.
For Chelsea, this was only a second Premier League away game since December.
They were playing without a recognised centre-forward in their starting line-up – Pedro Neto operating as a ‘false nine’ in the absence of the suspended Nicolas Jackson.
While Forest had looked nailed-on for the Champions League for much of the season, a return to European football had already been secured after a 30-year hiatus.
And a banner reading ‘Destination: Europe’ was unfurled on the Trent End.
Before kick-off, Gary Neville – banned from the City Ground for criticising Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis – was being widely accused of indulging in one-in-a-bed romps.
But on the pitch, it was deathly dull early on – neither side bearing any attacking teeth, with Forest wasteful from set-pieces.
It took almost half an hour for a serious scoring opportunity to arise – Noni Madueke feeding Cole Palmer down the right and the England man centring for Neto to volley over.
Almost immediately, Elliott Anderson responded for Forest with a dipping long-ranger which fell wide of the far post.
Largely, though, it was anxious and fractious stop-start stuff – Chelsea’s players doing an awful lot of falling over, with ref Anthony Taylor rarely responsive.
There were penalty shouts from the Forest fans when Anthony Elanga went down after a tangle with Palmer but Taylor and his VAR were not interested.
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Just before half-time, Ola Aina swung in a cross from the right, Chris Wood arrived before keeper Robert Sanchez but the Kiwi striker volleyed over.
At the start of the second half, Chelsea were showing more intent and within four minutes of the restart, they were ahead.
A corner was partially cleared but a Marc Cucurella ball over the top caught Forest flat-footed and Neto rolled across goal for Colwill to tap in at the back stick and celebrate in front of the travelling Blues fans.
Soon, Madueke’s shot was scooped clear by Matz Sels as Chelsea went in for a quick kill.
Nuno sent on former Chelsea man Callum Hudson-Odoi and then Ryan Yates, after Nicolas Dominguez was forced to hobble after a heavy challenge from Madueke.
But Forest struggled to turn a spell of territorial advantage into goalscoring opportunities, although Wood had a close-range effort deflected over in injury time.
And Chelsea were able to secure qualification for the Champions League in relatively comfortable style.
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