January 20, (THEWILL) – Ivan Toney marked his highly anticipated return from an eight-month betting ban with a brilliant free-kick, helping Brentford seal a thrilling 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday in the English Premier League.
The striker, who served a lengthy suspension since May 2023 for breaching FA rules, wasted no time in announcing his comeback – curling in an audacious set-piece to cancel out Danilo’s early opener. Although the visitors equalised through Chris Wood, Brentford stood firm as Neal Maupay grabbed the winner to give Toney a dream return.
Toney’s equaliser was his first goal in 267 days. Building on that, the hosts took the lead through Ben Mee’s header before Wood levelled once more. But Brentford kept battling, and Maupay delivered the goods to clinch the points.
For Toney, this was the perfect way to banish the demons from his time away. For his team, the victory ends a woeful run of five straight league losses. Toney’s inspirational performance proved he is ready to lead the Bees’ resurgence.
The occasion also highlighted Brentford’s unbreakable team spirit. They twice battled back from deficits and gave their returning talisman a rousing welcome. Toney can now look ahead with optimism after reminding everyone of his quality.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
