Chris Wood suffers injury ahead of Nottingham Forest’s FA Cup and Man Utd clashes | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest have been handed an injury scare after captain Chris Wood limped off in New Zealand’s 3-0 victory over New Caledonia.

New Zealand’s win booked their place at the 2026 World Cup, joining Japan and co-hosts USA, Canada and Mexico as the five teams so far in the 48-nation competition.

But Wood’s knock will be a concern for his club and their chase for Champions League football. Forest visit Brighton on Saturday in the FA Cup quarter-finals, before hosting Manchester United at the City Ground three days later in the Premier League.

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Wood appeared to injure his right hip during the game (AFP via Getty Images)

Nuno Espirito Santo’s team are currently third in the table with nine games left to play, seven points clear of sixth-placed Newcastle United as they bid to finish in the top five, which would likely be enough for a spot in next season’s Champions League. Forest won the European Cup in 1979 and retained it in 1980 but have not played in Europe since the mid-Nineties.

Wood, who has been prolific this season with 18 goals in 29 Premier League games, landed awkwardly on his hip after taking a shot in the second half and had to be replaced. There was no update on his injury after the match, although he was seen on the pitch celebrating with teammates after securing their World Cup spot.

Veterans Michael Boxall and Kosta Barbarouses scored in a second-half burst to help the All Whites return to the finals for the first time since 2010.

Boxall scored his first goal for New Zealand in his 55th international with a header on the hour-mark before Barbarouses volleyed over the goalkeeper five minutes later to send a crowd of more than 25,000 into ecstasy at Eden Park.

Substitute Elijah Just added the third goal in the 80th minute to ensure New Zealand advance to their third World Cup following the 1982 and 2010 finals.

New Zealand missed out on the last three World Cups after defeats in intercontinental playoffs. But with Oceania given an automatic berth at the finals for the first time, the All Whites were a shoo-in as the region’s dominant team.

“We’re going to another World Cup. I’m ecstatic,” said 35-year-old winger Barbarouses, who missed out on selection for New Zealand’s World Cup squad in 2010. “This is my fifth attempt to get to a World Cup, so I’m really emotional, very happy and sort of had flashbacks of the last 15 years. I’m very happy to contribute and help the team get over the line.”

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New Zealand's players celebrate after reaching the World Cup (AFP via Getty Images)

New Zealand’s players put on white T-shirts emblazoned with “Qualified” and sprayed champagne on each other.

Ranked 152nd in the world and dominated by amateur footballers, New Caledonia battled hard to keep the match scoreless for more than 60 minutes of the Oceania final. The French territory will have another chance to qualify via intercontinental playoffs.

“We knew it was going to be hard against New Zealand on their home soil,” said coach Johann Sidaner. “We’ve got time to think about the playoffs for 2026.”