FC Utrecht vs Nottingham Forest; UEFA Europa League
FC Utrecht vs Nottingham Forest. UEFA Europa League.
Stadion GalgenwaardAttendance22,865.
FC Utrecht 1
- M van der Hoorn (73rd minute)
Nottingham Forest 2
- A Muinga (52nd minute)
- I da Cruz (88th minute)
Utrecht 1-2 Nottingham Forest: Super-sub Igor Jesus seals a first European away win for Tricky Trees in 30 years
Report from the Europa League league-phase match between Utrecht and Nottingham Forest at Stadion Galgenwaard; goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo and Igor Jesus secured the Tricky Trees' first European away win since October 1995
Thursday 11 December 2025 20:46, UK
Nottingham Forest boosted their chances of securing a top-eight spot in the Europa League league phase with a 2-1 win away at Utrecht.
Sean Dyche's side made hard work of it against a team who are yet to win in this season's competition, but secured their first European away win since October 1995 courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo and Igor Jesus, either side of an equaliser from former Swansea defender Mike van der Hoorn.
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Forest started well and, for a time, it seemed it would be a case of how many they could put past Utrecht, rather than whether they could even break the deadlock.
They had eight attempts in the first 20 minutes. Strong saves from Vasilis Barkas kept out strikes from Callum Hudson-Odoi and Douglas Luiz, while Oleksandr Zinchenko fired across the face of goal from seven yards and a goalbound header from Morato was deflected over.
But Forest's inability to capitalise on their dominance gave the underdog hosts belief.
Miguel Rodriguez showed his penchant for a shot from distance; a stinging drive was batted away by John Victor and another swirled in the air before the Forest goalkeeper - deputising for Matz Sels, who missed out with a tight groin - held.
Forest took the lead early in the second half when Kalimuendo, largely anonymous until then, barged his way past two Utrecht defenders, benefitted from a fortunate ricochet and fired past Barkas from a tight angle.
Utrecht's energy levels dipped after the break, but the scoreline meant they were always in the game, and they levelled with just over 15 minutes to play when the unmarked Van der Hoorn headed in at the far post.
Dyche threw on Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus in an attempt to salvage the win - and, before long, it paid off.
Gibbs-White found Hudson-Odoi, who picked out Dan Ndoye. His header was straight at Barkas, but the ball sprung free for Jesus, who pounced in a flash to score the important winner for Forest.
Hudson-Odoi: We want to go all the way to Europa League final
Nottingham Forest's Callum Hudson-Odoi speaking to TNT Sports:
"It was difficult. Going 1-0 up, you want to maintain the lead and try and see it all the way through, but we concede. It's a sloppy goal from us, we know it as well.
"But the reaction was good, we got the second goal and we saw the game out.
"We want to go all the way to the final and try and win it, but it's a long way to that still.
"I wanted a goal, you could see that, but it's not always about scoring, it's about helping the team going forward and defensively.
"I kept saying to myself they are going to come and once they come, hopefully they will just keep flowing in nicely. I'm just enjoying playing my football. I've just got to keep working and doing the right things."
What's coming up for Nottingham Forest?
Nottingham Forest finish their Europa League league phase campaign at the end of January.
They travel to Portugal to take on Braga on January 22 and host Ferencvaros a week later on January 29.
