Another new era at Forest starts with a win

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Nottingham Forest 2 - 0 Porto

Sean Dyche enjoyed an ideal introduction as Nottingham Forest manager as penalties from Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus secured a valuable Europa League victory.

Author | Frank L

Stadium | The City Ground

Europa League | Nottingham Forest v Porto | View from the stands

The win delivered Forest’s first triumph since their Premier League opener in August, their first clean sheet since April and a promising debut result for Dyche following his arrival earlier in the week. It was also their first win in any European competition since the 1995/1996 season.

The wider impact of this result

Forest have been engulfed in turmoil during the early months of the campaign, with Ange Postecoglou dismissed on Saturday after only 39 days in charge, having succeeded Nuno Espirito Santo in the summer.

Europa League | Nottingham Forest v Porto | Pre match flags

There was no immediate serenity at a raucous City Ground, although Dyche quickly instilled a sense of belief and structure. Gibbs-White converted confidently from 12 yards after Jan Bednarek handled inside the area midway through the first half.

Forest looked far more assured and compact than during Postecoglou’s fleeting tenure, with Callum Hudson-Odoi drawing a save from Diogo Costa while Matz Sels stood firm to keep out a long-range strike from Alan Varela.

Jesus sealed the result with a second penalty late on, awarded after referee Radu Petrescu overturned his original decision having reviewed Martim Fernandes’ challenge on Nicolo Savona.

Porto suffered their first defeat of the season, having won 10 of their previous 11 games, and endured further frustration when Bednarek’s second-half strike was ruled out for offside by VAR.

 Grit, determination and hard work  | Football, the Sean Dyche way

Of the current Nottingham Forest squad, only Matz Sels and Willy Boly were born when the club last tasted victory in Europe.

That previous success arrived in November 1995, a 1-0 win over Lyon in the first leg of a Uefa Cup third round tie, before Forest eventually bowed out at the quarter-final stage to Bayern Munich.

Just three days before that triumph, Chesterfield, where Sean Dyche was still plying his trade, made the short trip across the Trent only to lose 4-1 against Notts County in the old Division Three.

Those matches now sit deep in the past and even Saturday’s 3-0 loss to Chelsea, which brought Ange Postecoglou’s short spell to an end, already feels as though it belongs to another moment.

Forest’s first victory since the opening day came by virtue of grit, organisation and sheer persistence rather than fluent attacking play, with a buoyant City Ground energised rather than anxious.

Location: The City Ground, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 5FJ, UK

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