Anton Stach delivered a dramatic, late free‑kick that turned the tide in Leeds United's favour, handing Oliver Glasner his first Premier League defeat as Nottingham Forest manager with a 1‑0 win at the City Ground. As the match slipped toward a stalemate, Leeds' set‑piece specialist caught Forest keeper Matz Sels completely off balance; his powerful strike from distance curled into the near‑post gap, leaving the Belgian goalkeeper with little chance to intervene.
Sels will now have to scrutinise his positioning and footwork, as those small details proved decisive in the final outcome. From the first whistle, it was evident that dead‑ball situations would dominate the narrative. The most threatening opportunities for both sides emerged from set pieces rather than open play. Early on, Igor Jesus enjoyed two significant aerial chances.
The first was denied by a reflex save from Forest's James Trafford, while the second saw Jesus head the ball over the bar shortly after the interval. Nikola Milenković, Leeds' towering centre‑back, struck the post with a powerful header, and Forest substitute Chris Wood also squandered a promising opening, sending his shot wide of the target. On the Forest side, Sels produced a moment of brilliance when he leapt to punch away a dangerous header from Tarik Muharemović, showcasing his shot‑stopping abilities.
Yet that heroics was short‑lived; the same keeper went from saviour to the unfortunate figure who conceded the decisive goal, underscoring the fine margins that define Premier League encounters. The match report highlighted several key incidents that illustrated the tight, low‑scoring nature of the contest.
At the 17‑minute mark, Igor Jesus attempted to redirect Ola Aina's long throw, only to be thwarted by a well‑timed save from James Trafford. A VAR review at 18 minutes examined a challenge by Aina on James Justin, resulting in a yellow card for the Forest defender. Later, at 25 minutes, Harry Wilson's goal was ruled out for off‑side after VAR confirmed he had been in an illegal position when he tapped in Jayden Bogle's cross, despite the ball being played by Dominic Calvert‑Lewin, who was onside. Further VAR scrutiny at 32 minutes saw Calvert‑Lewin receive a booking for a reckless high challenge on James McAtee, reinforcing the match's physical intensity.
Nikola Milenković flicked a cross from James McAtee onto the far post at the 40‑minute point, only for Trafford to deny Igor Jesus from close range. Leeds' first genuine shot on target arrived at 47 minutes when Brenden Aaronson cut inside and unleashed a strike that Sels comfortably saved. The second half continued the pattern of missed chances and defensive resilience.
At 54 minutes, Jesus headed over from a promising position inside the box after Aina delivered a hanging cross to the back post. Four minutes later, Forest substitute Chris Wood, after being released by Murillo, sent a shot wide, illustrating his difficulty in finding the net on his debut. The highlight reel at 69 minutes featured Sels pulling off a spectacular stop to deny Muharemović inside the penalty area, a save that momentarily rekindled Forest hopes.
The decisive moment arrived in the 88th minute. After a prolonged period of anticipation, Stach curled a free‑kick from a wide angle, sending the ball looping into the near‑post pocket where it slipped past a helpless Sels. That goal clinched three points for Leeds and left Forest to contemplate a narrow defeat. Post‑match, Leeds manager Daniel Farke praised Stach's contribution, noting the midfielder's challenging summer.
"I'm delighted with Stach. The summer was not the easiest for him. He missed the Germany call‑up, then suffered an injury on the final training day. He had a tricky pre‑season and wasn't top‑class in the first weeks, but in the last ten days I saw him improve.
He got the edge to start, and when you're there with the decisive goal, it's good," Farke told Sky Sports. He added a measured perspective on the club's ambitions: "It's still a long road. We need to collect 40 points; we are not naïve. The last time this club enjoyed two solid top‑flight seasons was a long‑ago era, captured only in black‑and‑white photos.
We stay humble, not greedy, and grounded. First and foremost we must earn the right to establish ourselves in the Premier League." Glasner, reflecting on his side's performance, acknowledged the tight nature of the game and the dominance of set pieces. "It was a very tight game, very few chances.
Every chance was from set pieces. It was clear one situation would decide the game or it would end 0‑0. Unfortunately it was for Leeds and a direct free‑kick for Stach.
We knew he is a good taker and that's why it's disappointing," he said. He noted that Forest improved in the second half, creating a few opportunities but failing to convert them.
"We had two or three situations where we could score, but we did not. It was a lucky punch that was on their side.
Everybody gave their best. The players worked very hard, intense and wanted to get the win. That's why I'm looking forward in a positive way, that's the foundation of everything. We're learning from this defeat, we're at the beginning of this journey and not burying our heads in the sand.
Unfortunately we lost, but I saw many encouraging things today. This is the way we decided to go, this is the way we continue to go," Glasner concluded. The match also featured a number of ancillary moments that added colour to the broadcast, including a promotion for Sky Sports' Premier League coverage, a reminder about free highlights, and a call‑to‑action for a Super 6 competition offering a £1 million prize. All these elements combined to produce a compelling, if low‑scoring, fixture that will be remembered for Stach's late heroics and the narrow margin that separated triumph from disappointment.