Utrecht 1-2 Nottingham Forest: Jesus nets late winner

Igor Jesus scored an 88th-minute winner as Nottingham Forest claimed their first away win of their Europa League campaign by beating Utrecht 2-1.

Arnaud Kalimuendo gave Forest the the lead with a fine solo goal seven minutes into the second half, but it appeared as if a Utrecht side yet to win in the Europa League this season would claim something from the game when former Swansea City defender Mike Van der Hoorn stole in at the far post to level.

Yet Jesus came off the bench to seal the points in Forest’s final game in this competition in 2025, rounding off an excellent move by netting on the rebound after Dan Ndoye’s header had been repelled by Vasilios Barkas.

Jesus’ fourth goal in five Europa League matches secured Forest’s first away win in any European tie since 1995, one that sees them move onto 11 points, a tally likely to be enough to ensure they will at least clinch a place in the playoff round. With two games of the league phase still to play, a top-eight finish is still a distinct possibility.

Kaliumendo goes alone

Forest dominated the early going, with Callum Hudson-Odoi twice going close before Oleksandr Zinchenko spurned a gilt-edged chance by side-footing narrowly wide from close range.

Douglas Luiz’s superb effort from the edge of the area was clawed away by Vasilios Barkas, and Utrecht grew into the game thereafter.

Miguel Rodríguez saw a rasping drive kept out by Forest goalkeeper John Victor, who was busier than he and many others might have expected.

Yet Forest delivered another fast start after the interval, and this time it paid dividends as Kaliumendo somehow forced his way past four Utrecht defenders in the left side of the penalty area before firing home.

Nottingham Forest win it late

Kaliumendo then struck the post from close range, and Forest’s inability to build on their lead was punished as Van der Hoorn was left unmarked at the far post, where he turned home Souffian El Karouani’s free-kick with a header from point-blank range.

Utrecht continued in the ascendancy and it looked as if they could threaten to complete the turnaround and claim all three points.

Yet the introduction of Morgan Gibbs-White and Jesus proved key for Forest.

Gibbs-White’s delicate lofted ball to the byline was turned into the path of Ndoye by Hudson-Odoi and, after Barkas failed to properly avert the danger, Jesus reacted brilliantly to fire through his legs on the turn.