Nottingham Forest 0, Leeds United 1: Stach Free Kick Steals Opening Day Victory at the City Ground

Image: from Leeds United X @LUFC

Premier League 2026/27 | Matchweek 1 | City Ground | 22 August 2026

By Open Chronicle Sports

Anton Stach produced the decisive moment two minutes from time as Leeds United began their 2026/27 Premier League campaign with a dramatic 1,0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

With a tight contest apparently drifting towards a goalless draw, the German midfielder struck a long range free kick in the 88th minute that caught Matz Sels at his near post. Forest had opportunities of their own, including a Nikola Milenkovic effort against the woodwork, but Oliver Glasner’s first Premier League match as Forest manager ended in defeat.

Match Summary

Nottingham Forest 0, Leeds United 1

Goal: Anton Stach 88′

Half time: 0,0

Full time: 0,1

Venue: City Ground, Nottingham

Attendance: 30,739

Referee: Robert Jones

Competition: Premier League, Matchweek 1

Date: Saturday, 22 August 2026

A Cautious Opening at the City Ground

The beginning of a new season brought a new managerial era to Nottingham Forest.

Glasner took charge of his first competitive match after a turbulent period in which Forest had gone through several managers. His initial task was to produce greater stability while introducing his preferred tactical ideas.

Forest lined up with three central defenders and attempted to use Ola Aina and Neco Williams to provide width. Morgan Gibbs White operated in the attacking line behind Igor Jesus, with Dan Ndoye offering another route towards goal.

Leeds arrived with significant changes of their own.

Daniel Farke handed Premier League starts to summer additions including goalkeeper James Trafford, defender Tarik Muharemovic and attacking midfielder Harry Wilson. Leeds also used a three centre back structure, producing an intriguing tactical mirror between the teams.

Neither side was initially able to establish decisive control.

Forest had more of the ball, but possession did not translate into sustained attacking pressure.

Forest Come Close

The hosts nevertheless created opportunities to take the lead.

Milenkovic came particularly close when he struck the post, while Igor Jesus and substitute Chris Wood both had chances that could have changed the direction of the afternoon.

Forest eventually registered 12 attempts, but only two were on target.

That statistic became increasingly significant as the match progressed.

Leeds were not overwhelmingly dominant either, but Farke’s side remained organised and competitive. Their midfield prevented Forest from developing a consistent rhythm through central areas, while Dominic Calvert Lewin provided a physical focal point further forward.

Harry Wilson also had the ball in the net during the contest, only for the effort to be disallowed.

Stach Decides It

As the clock approached 90 minutes, a draw appeared the most likely conclusion.

Then came Stach.

Leeds won a free kick in a position from which a conventional delivery into the penalty area might have been expected.

Instead, Stach went directly for goal.

The midfielder’s strike travelled towards the near post and caught Sels poorly positioned. The Forest goalkeeper could not recover quickly enough, and the ball found the net in the 88th minute.

Nottingham Forest 0, Leeds United 1.

It was a devastating moment for the home side and another demonstration of Stach’s considerable ability from dead ball situations. He had scored three direct free kicks during the previous Premier League season, making his set piece threat anything but unexpected.

For Sels, however, it was a goal he will feel should have been prevented.

His positioning left too much of the near post available and his footwork did not allow him to respond quickly enough once Stach’s intentions became clear.

Forest Search for an Equaliser

Glasner responded with one final attacking gamble.

Arnaud Kalimuendo replaced Murillo in stoppage time as Forest attempted to rescue a point.

There was simply too little time.

Leeds protected their penalty area through the remaining moments and Trafford completed a clean sheet on his competitive league debut for the club.

The final whistle confirmed a valuable away victory.

For a Leeds team that managed only two away Premier League wins during the whole of 2025/26, beginning the new campaign with three points on the road represented a particularly encouraging development.

Tactical Analysis: Leeds Win Without Needing the Ball

The match offered an interesting contrast between possession and effectiveness.

Forest finished with 57 per cent possession, compared with 43 per cent for Leeds. But Glasner’s team struggled to convert that territorial advantage into clear opportunities.

The home side’s two shots on target from 12 attempts demonstrate the problem.

Leeds were comfortable allowing Forest periods with the ball.

Farke’s three centre back structure gave his side numbers through the defensive line, while Ethan Ampadu and Stach protected the spaces ahead of them.

James Justin and Jayden Bogle provided width, allowing Leeds to transition between a back five without possession and a more ambitious shape when opportunities appeared.

The approach was not spectacular.

It was effective.

Forest struggled to isolate Leeds defenders, while Gibbs White frequently found himself attempting to create against a compact structure.

At the opposite end, Leeds registered only three shots on target themselves. This was therefore not an afternoon of sustained attacking dominance from either team.

The difference was one moment of exceptional set piece execution.

Nottingham Forest Starting XI

Formation: 3,4,2,1

Goalkeeper: Matz Sels

Defenders: Jair Cunha, Murillo, Nikola Milenkovic

Wing backs: Ola Aina, Neco Williams

Midfielders: Ibrahim Sangaré, James McAtee

Attacking midfielders: Morgan Gibbs White, Dan Ndoye

Forward: Igor Jesus

Substitutes: John Victor, Ousmane Diomande, Callum Hudson Odoi, Nicolás Domínguez, Chris Wood, Arnaud Kalimuendo, Xaver Schlager, Luca Netz, Zach Abbott.

Leeds United Starting XI

Formation: 3,4,2,1

Goalkeeper: James Trafford

Defenders: Jaka Bijol, Joe Rodon, Tarik Muharemovic

Wing backs: Jayden Bogle, James Justin

Midfielders: Anton Stach, Ethan Ampadu

Attacking midfielders: Brenden Aaronson, Harry Wilson

Forward: Dominic Calvert Lewin

Substitutes: Lucas Perri, Daniel James, Sean Longstaff, Lukas Nmecha, Noah Okafor, Ao Tanaka, Nico Elvedi, Archie Cresswell, J. Lienou.

Confirmed Substitutions

Nottingham Forest

Chris Wood replaced Dan Ndoye, 62′

Xaver Schlager replaced James McAtee, 74′

Luca Netz replaced Ola Aina, 74′

Arnaud Kalimuendo replaced Murillo, 90+3′

Leeds United

Noah Okafor replaced Harry Wilson, 66′

Sean Longstaff replaced Brenden Aaronson, 82′

Match Statistics

The numbers underline how finely balanced the match was. Forest had more possession and one additional attempt, but Leeds placed more shots on target and ultimately produced the only statistic that mattered, one goal.

Key Performers

Anton Stach

The obvious match winner.

Stach’s overall midfield contribution helped Leeds remain competitive away from home, but his decisive contribution arrived from his greatest speciality.

His 88th minute free kick turned one point into three and immediately placed him among the significant performers of the opening Premier League weekend.

James Trafford

A clean sheet on his first Premier League appearance for Leeds.

Forest did not force Trafford into a succession of spectacular saves, but the goalkeeper dealt with what came his way and gave the defensive structure behind him confidence.

Ethan Ampadu

The Leeds captain helped establish the discipline required for Farke’s game plan.

Alongside Stach, Ampadu protected the defensive line and helped restrict Forest’s ability to create centrally.

Nikola Milenkovic

Forest’s defender came closer than most of his attacking teammates to breaking the deadlock.

His effort against the post represented one of the afternoon’s biggest opportunities and illustrated how much of Forest’s danger came from situations other than sustained open play.

A Difficult Beginning for Glasner

Glasner was realistic afterwards about the scale of the task confronting him.

Forest finished only 16th in 2025/26 and entered another campaign requiring improvement. The new manager has begun implementing a different system, but the opening match demonstrated that structural changes will require time.

His observation after the game was particularly revealing. Forest cannot simply transform immediately into an elite possession side.

The greater concern was their attacking production.

Having 57 per cent of the ball at home but producing only two shots on target suggests that Forest need greater creativity and penetration in the final third. Glasner also indicated that strengthening the attack before the transfer window closes remains desirable.

What the Result Means

For Leeds, this was almost an ideal opening day result.

Three points.

An away victory.

A clean sheet.

A late winner.

And encouraging competitive debuts from several summer recruits.

Leeds finished 14th last season and struggled badly away from home. Winning immediately at the City Ground therefore provides Farke with evidence that his rebuilt squad may be capable of making progress in 2026/27.

For Forest, the result represents frustration rather than disaster.

There were opportunities to win the match before Stach’s intervention, but those opportunities were not converted.

The teams will not have long to wait before meeting again. Forest and Leeds are scheduled to face each other again in the Carabao Cup, providing Glasner with an immediate opportunity to respond.

On opening weekend, however, the final word belonged to Stach.

One free kick.

One goal.

Three points for Leeds United.

Final Score: Nottingham Forest 0, Leeds United 1

Goal: Anton Stach 88′

Open Chronicle Player of the Match: Anton Stach