european league
Utrecht 1 – 2 Nottingham Forest
Substitute Igor Jesus scored late on as Nottingham Forest boosted their hopes of automatic progression to the knockout stages of the Europa League with victory over Utrecht.
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The striker scored the winner just 82 seconds after coming off the bench, tapping in after Dan Ndoye’s header was blocked.
Arno Kalimundo gave Forest the lead early in the second half when he chipped in after an attempted clearance bounced off him, and the ball fell in to end the game.
Forest dominated from there and looked set to win comfortably, but former Swansea defender Mike van der Hoorn equalized with a header from a free kick.
It was a thrill for the home fans, who looked most likely to win, leaving Forest open in their search for a second goal.
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Jesus duly arrived with two minutes remaining to give Forest their third win in six games in Europe.
Utrecht’s defeat means they have not recorded a win in Europe after six games this season.
Landmark result as Forest move on
It was a momentous moment for Nottingham Forest, who recorded their first away win in Europe since 1995.
But they did put in a tough effort against a team that has just one point from five games in the Europa League this season.
Forest got off to a dominant start with eight shots on goal in the first 20 minutes and took the lead early in the second half.
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But they would have been frustrated with the equalizer as they closed the door at a crucial moment to allow Vanderhorn a free header.
It was Forest’s first goal in European competition under Sean Dyche and they looked in danger of conceding a second for some time.
But Dyche’s later decision to send on Jesus proved crucial as he almost converted his first shot.
The win means Forest are on course to finish in the top eight – positions that automatically qualify for the knockout stages – with two league games remaining.
What’s next for the forest?
Nottingham Forest’s next game is at home to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday 14 December (14:00 GMT).
