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 he even hit the woodwork while chasing 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 far less dramatic. Still, it was a frustrating way to finish.
Under Postecoglou, Forest have been a mixed bag so far, but the overwhelming feeling among the traveling fans at the final whistle was likely pride. Around 5,000 supporters made the trip to Seville, with 3,385 packed into the away section high up in the stands. 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 fans who had only heard stories of past glories to finally experience European nights themselves. 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 could use a bit of luck.”
Forest fans sang about past trips to Gillingham, Huddersfield, Hull, and Rotherham. Just five years ago, they lost 1-0 at Huddersfield, with Ryan Yates—who came on as a late substitute here—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. “Sometimes you can’t see the future because you’re always talking about the past,” he said then.
Now, that vision has been realized. Marinakis was in attendance as Igor Jesus became Forest’s first European goalscorer since Steve Stone netted a consolation against Bayern Munich 29 years ago.
Betis started strongly 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 Jesus finished off a brilliant 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 took a brilliant touch in the box and slotted the ball into the top corner in the 55th minute.
Reflecting on Maeda’s performance—whose summer move fell through due to the club’s inability to find a suitable replacement—manager Rodgers told BT Sport: “He wasn’t at his best, nowhere near it. But he’s a good player, and these things happen. I considered making a couple of changes at halftime and felt bringing on Kels gave us a much better presence up front. We needed someone in the middle to hold up the ball. In the first half, we got into the final third but were either careless or couldn’t keep possession. Kels excels at that—he uses his body well, brings others into play, and helps us move up the pitch. He gave us a much stronger platform in the second half.”
Roma kicked off 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 spark the victory. Terem Moffi pulled one back for Nice from the penalty spot in the 77th minute after Niccolo Pisilli fouled Antoine Mendy in the box, setting up a tense finish. Despite late pressure, Nice couldn’t find an equalizer. Nice captain Dante, aged 41, became the oldest outfield player in the competition’s history.
In another match, Braga secured a 1-0 home win against Feyenoord thanks to Fran Navarro’s 79th-minute winner.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest built their attack from left to right, with left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko drifting into the opposition penalty area. After a series of quick passes involving Elliot Anderson and Douglas Luiz, the ball reached Morgan Gibbs-White on the right. Gibbs-White played a diagonal ball across goal, and Igor Jesus tapped in from close range. Manager Postecoglou applauded from the touchline, and five minutes later, Forest struck again. Douglas Luiz delivered an inswinging corner, and Igor Jesus headed home.
Forest dominated the first half, registering 13 shots to Betis’s one. Jesus, who also scored twice against Swansea, came close to a first-half hat-trick when he hit the post. The visitors were rampant and should have added to their lead. Substitute Arnaud Kalimuendo missed a clear chance after being set up by Zinchenko, whose first touch let him down.
The challenge facing Forest was evident from the start, as Betis—eighth in La Liga—had lost only one of their previous 18 European home games. Betis substitute Pablo Fornals fired a warning shot wide, which Forest failed to heed. Shortly after, defender Natan wasted a golden opportunity, but Antony made no mistake with his.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Antonys late goal for Real Betis that denied Nottingham Forest a result in their European return
General Beginner Questions
Q1 What is this story about
A In a UEFA Europa League match Nottingham Forest was drawing 11 with Real Betis in the final minutes Betis player Antony scored a very late winning goal denying Forest a point on their longawaited return to European competition
Q2 Who is Antony Which team does he play for
A Antony Lopes is a Brazilian winger who played for Real Betis at the time He came on as a substitute and scored the decisive goal
Q3 Why was this match so significant for Nottingham Forest
A It was Nottingham Forests first European match in over 23 years marking a huge moment for the club and its fans after a long absence from continental tournaments
Q4 What competition was this match in
A The match was part of the UEFA Europa League group stage
Match Tactical Questions
Q5 What was the final score of the match
A Real Betis 2 1 Nottingham Forest
Q6 How late was the winning goal
A Antony scored in the 87th minute just three minutes before the end of regular time which is considered a very late dramatic winner
Q7 How did the goal happen
A It was a quick counterattack by Betis The ball was played to Antony on the left side who cut inside and scored with a low driven shot
Q8 Did Nottingham Forest have a chance to equalize after the goal
A Yes there were a few minutes of stoppage time but Forest couldnt score another goal to level the match
Context Aftermath Questions
Q9 What did this result mean for Nottingham Forests chances in the competition
A Losing a close match with a late goal was a tough start While not fatal it put immediate pressure on Forest to get results in their other group games to qualify for the next round
Q10 How did the fans and manager react
A It was a devastating blow The Forest fans were naturally disappointed after coming so close
