Chris Wood says moments like Nottingham Forest's Europa League win over Aston Villa vindicate all the hard work he did to recover from a long-term injury, though he knows the job is only half done. 

Wood's 71st-minute penalty was all that separated Forest and Villa in the first leg of their semi-final tie, giving Vitor Pereira's men a lead to protect at Villa Park next week.

Wood has now scored in successive games for Forest for the first time since January 2025, having also netted in last week's 5-0 Premier League victory at Sunderland.

He has three goals in the Europa League overall, also scoring for Birmingham City against Club Brugge in October 2011 and for Forest against Midtjylland last October.

The New Zealand international has had a long road back to full fitness after missing six months with a knee injury he sustained last October. 

The striker recently said he will have to manage the issue for the rest of his life, but the feeling of putting Forest on the brink of a European final made all the hard work worth it.

"It's all I wanted to do. I wanted to get back fit and firing to help my team as best as I could at the end of the season," he told TNT Sports after full-time.

"I knew we had a lot to play for when I was fighting to get fit, and it's showing now. These are big competitions to be a part of.

"We're at the crunch end of the season. We need to perform on both parts, and we'll be looking to do that for sure."

But given Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has progressed from each of his last five Europa League semi-final ties (three with Sevilla, one with Arsenal, one with Villarreal), Wood knows Forest have work to do in the second leg.

"It's one leg of the tie. It's nice to have the advantage, but going to Villa Park will be a tough game. They're good at their place," he added. 

"But we've done the job here at home, and now, hopefully, we'll build into next week."

Forest are now unbeaten in their last nine matches in all competitions (W6 D3), winning four in a row for the first time since January 2025 (run of seven).

Head coach Vitor Pereira lavished praise upon his players as he said: "They [Villa] are a very tough team, but we competed with them. I like to see us playing football, trying to score. This is a special group of players.

"Unai Emery is a top manager; he has been with his team for a long time. We have been together for a short time. 

"In the end, it was a good fight. I am very competitive, that's why I like to be in the Premier League, to compete with this kind of manager.

"I had the privilege to be the manager of these boys; they are a fantastic group, with spirit.

"They had four managers in a season, and they are finishing at this level, competing at this level together, united. This is an honour for me."