Forest’s Europa League Aspirations Hang by a Thread After Disastrous Night

Nottingham Forest faced a night they would rather forget, suffering a disappointing defeat against Braga. The match ended with a grim trifecta for the team: an own goal, a missed penalty, and a red card.

Initially, hopes were high for a top-eight placement in the Europa League, which would have ensured automatic advancement to the round of 16. However, after this latest setback, the team heads back home with their ambitions severely compromised.

Even if they secure a win against Ferencvaros in their final group stage match, it is improbable that it will be sufficient to avoid a two-legged playoff for a spot in the next phase.

The reaction from the away supporters at both half-time and full-time, who expressed their displeasure with boos, demonstrates just how underwhelming the performance was. The match could have unfolded quite differently had Morgan Gibbs-White successfully converted a penalty in the 53rd minute.

However, his shot was saved, and just 55 seconds later, an own goal from Ryan Yates put Braga ahead. “One minute of madness in a game that we never looked in trouble,” remarked manager Sean Dyche during his post-match comments.

“We miss a penalty – that can happen. The reaction in the next minute or so… we lose the game to a poor goal. They get a lift and the crowd go mad, we knock off a bit, and an unfortunate situation for Yatesy. Very frustrated.”

The fact that Braga clinched victory without a single shot on target adds to the frustration for Forest, marking only the second time in Europa League history that a team has done so. While Braga did come close, hitting the post while the score was 1-0, Forest struggled to create sufficient chances throughout the match.

Dyche had opted for seven changes from the previous Premier League draw against Arsenal, making it the most significant lineup adjustment since an FA Cup match against Wrexham. After that loss, he was critical of the substitutes but took a more lenient approach this time around.

“There’s effort there but the cutting edge… we want more of that,” he stated. “We are in a weird situation where I have to protect certain players. We know the Premier League is massively important but we wanted to do well in this competition and we still do.”

Yates expressed disappointment over the result, feeling that Forest had done enough to earn a win. “We are frustrated because I think we did enough to win the game. We’ve missed an opportunity. Not that we were terrible but we can definitely do better. We have to move on quickly,” he said.

Former Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott offered a different perspective, emphasizing the impact of Elliot Anderson’s late red card. “The perfect way to sum it up is a mess,” he remarked. “Collectively it wasn’t good enough. To top it off and lose someone of the stature of Anderson when you have a massive game next week is devastating.”

Anderson’s suspension will see him miss the crucial final group match, and Forest will be anxious that this ban does not extend into the anticipated playoff round in February. Additional fixtures could strain the squad, especially as they strive to maintain their status in the Premier League.

Ultimately, Forest will reflect on this match as one they could have avoided losing. “You might come away with a draw, but you shouldn’t really lose that game,” Dyche concluded. Yet, in that brief moment of chaos, they indeed lost it.