For Ange Postecoglou, the wait for his first win as Nottingham Forest manager feels endless. Just when it seemed he was about to secure that victory in a competition he won last season, Antony equalized for Real Betis, spoiling the celebration.
Igor Jesus scored twice as Forest fought back after Cédric Bakambu’s opening goal and even hit the woodwork in search of a first-half hat-trick. But Antony, the former Manchester United winger who has faced criticism for his struggles in the Premier League, struck an 85th-minute equalizer.
Compared to last Wednesday’s collapse at Swansea—where the Championship side scored in the 93rd and 97th minutes to snatch a Carabao Cup win—this result was less dramatic, but still a frustrating way to end the match.
Under Postecoglou, Forest have been a mixed bag so far, but the overwhelming feeling among the traveling fans at the final whistle—around 5,000 made the trip to Seville, with 3,385 packed into the away section—was likely pride. As the players approached them, they chanted, “Europe again, olé, olé.”
The most encouraging moment was undoubtedly Igor Jesus’s first goal, a slick team move that perfectly illustrated Postecoglou’s vision. “The challenge is to make sure the players keep their heads up even when we’re not winning,” the Australian manager said. “Some of our football was outstanding.”
This was a significant occasion—Forest’s first competitive European match since March 1996. As Postecoglou pointed out, it was a chance for newer generations of supporters, who have only heard the stories, to finally experience European nights. What Postecoglou wants now is that first win, and Forest will hope it comes in his fifth attempt, when Sunderland visit the City Ground for his first home game. “We’re in a results business, and we need to turn our good performances into wins,” he said. “If one goes in off someone’s backside, I won’t complain—we’ve been missing a bit of luck.”
Forest fans sang about past trips to Gillingham, Huddersfield, Hull, and Rotherham. Five years ago to the day, they lost 1-0 at Huddersfield, with Ryan Yates—a late substitute in this match—the only player from that squad still at the club. Since then, owner Evangelos Marinakis has invested heavily, including £200 million this summer, to build a squad capable of competing on multiple fronts. After securing promotion three years ago, the Greek billionaire promised to bring European football back to Forest.
This match felt like the fulfillment of that vision, with Marinakis in attendance as Igor Jesus became Forest’s first European goalscorer since Steve Stone’s consolation against Bayern Munich 29 years ago.
Betis started brightly and took the lead after 15 minutes when Antony sped past Morato and set up Bakambu, who fired high into the top corner. But their advantage lasted only three minutes, as Igor Jesus finished off a superb Forest move with a simple tap-in.At halftime, Celtic’s Japanese forward had struggled in the center-forward role. The team failed to create any chances from open play in the first half but improved immediately after the break, forcing three saves before Iheanacho expertly controlled the ball in the box and slotted it into the top corner in the 55th minute.
Regarding Maeda, whose summer transfer fell through due to the club’s inability to find a suitable replacement, manager Rodgers told BT Sport: “He wasn’t at his best, far from it. But he’s a good player, and these things happen. I considered making changes at halftime and felt bringing on Kels gave us a much better focal point up front. We needed someone in the middle to hold up the ball, which was a problem in the first half when we reached the final third but were careless in possession. Kels’ ability to receive the ball and use his body effectively allowed us to advance up the pitch, providing a much stronger platform in the second half.”
In other Europa League action, Roma started their campaign with a 2-1 away win at Nice. After a quiet first half, defenders Evan N’Dicka and Gianluca Mancini scored twice in three minutes early in the second half to give Roma the lead. Nice pulled one back in the 77th minute through a Terem Moffi penalty after Niccolo Pisilli fouled Antoine Mendy in the box, but despite late pressure, they couldn’t find an equalizer. Nice captain Dante, aged 41, became the oldest outfield player in the competition’s history.
Braga secured a 1-0 home win against Feyenoord thanks to Fran Navarro’s 79th-minute goal.
In the Conference League, Nottingham Forest took control against Real Betis with a fluid attacking move. Left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko drifted forward, combining with Elliot Anderson before Douglas Luiz found Morgan Gibbs-White on the right. Gibbs-White delivered a cross that Igor Jesus tapped in from close range. Five minutes later, Douglas Luiz’s inswinging corner was headed home by Jesus for his second.
By halftime, Forest dominated with 13 shots to Betis’s one, and Jesus nearly completed a first-half hat-trick when he hit the post. Forest continued to press in the second half but missed chances to extend their lead, with substitute Arnaud Kalimuendo failing to convert after being set up by Zinchenko.
Despite Betis’s strong home record—having lost only one of their previous 18 European matches at home—Forest looked comfortable. The Spanish side threatened when substitute Pablo Fornals fired wide, and although defender Natan missed a clear opportunity, Antony eventually capitalized to seal the result.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Antonys late goal for Real Betis against Nottingham Forest designed to be clear and helpful for fans of all knowledge levels
FAQs Real Betis vs Nottingham Forest
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What exactly happened in the match
Nottingham Forest was leading 21 and looked set to win their first European match in decades In the final moments of the game Real Betis player Antony scored a late equalizer making the final score 22
2 Who is Antony
He is a Brazilian forward who plays for Real Betis Its important to note this is not Antony from Manchester United but a different player with the same first name
3 Why was this match so significant for Nottingham Forest
It was Nottingham Forests first match in European competition in over 23 years marking a huge moment for the club and its fans after a long absence
4 What does a late goal mean
A late goal is one scored very close to the end of the match often in the last few minutes of regular time or during added injury time These goals are especially dramatic because theres little to no time for the other team to respond
5 What was the final result
The match ended in a 22 draw
Advanced Detailed Questions
6 How did the late goal affect the group standings
The draw meant both teams shared the points Instead of Nottingham Forest getting 3 points for a win and Betis getting 0 each team got 1 point This can be crucial in a tight group where every point matters for qualification to the next round
7 Was this a typical outcome for a team returning to European football
It can be Returning to a highpressure European competition after a long break is challenging While disappointing a hardfought draw away from home against a strong Spanish team like Betis is still a respectable result even if it feels like a loss due to the timing of the goal
8 What does this result mean for Nottingham Forests chances of advancing
It makes their path more difficult Winning away games is key to qualifying While getting
