Leeds Stun Nottingham Forest with Late Anton Stach Free-Kick
Anton Stach silenced the City Ground with a late dagger as Leeds stole a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest to launch their Premier League campaign.
The German midfielder, quiet for most of the afternoon, stepped up in the 88th minute and bent a low free-kick in from the corner of the penalty area. It skidded through, squeezed in at Matz Sels’ near post, and sent the travelling Leeds end into chaos. Leeds’ first league victory at the City Ground since 1972, carved out of almost nothing.
Forest will wonder how on earth they let it slip.
Forest waste chances, Leeds hold firm
Oliver Glasner’s side, targeting a top-half push this season, produced a performance that felt painfully familiar. Same core, same issues. No new signings in the starting XI and the same old problem in front of goal.
After a flat opening, Forest sparked into life on 16 minutes. Ola Aina launched a long throw, Igor Jesus rose well and powered a header towards the far corner, only for James Trafford to spring across and claw it away. It set the tone: Forest on the front foot, Leeds hanging on.
The home crowd briefly bristled when Aina flew into a challenge on James Justin. A VAR check for serious foul play followed, tension rose, but the tackle stood. Forest escaped sanction, Leeds escaped a man advantage.
Forest thought they had their breakthrough in the 25th minute. Harry Wilson darted in and finished smartly, only to see the flag go up. The offside call was correct, but it underlined the growing control of the hosts.
That control should have produced a lead before the break. James McAtee whipped in a superb delivery on 40 minutes, Nikola Milenkovic met it with a deft glancing header, and Trafford was beaten. The post wasn’t. The ball cannoned back out, fell to Igor Jesus, and the forward failed to convert the rebound. Groans, not roars.
One-way traffic, no end product
Forest came out after half-time with the same plan: balls into the box, pressure on Leeds’ back line. Aina again found space on the flank and swung in another tempting cross. Igor Jesus met it but got his header all wrong, thudding it down into the turf and over from close range. Another chance gone.
Glasner turned to his bench and sent on Chris Wood. The former Leeds striker almost punished his old club when Murillo split the defence with a through ball. Wood strode onto it, the goal opened up, but he dragged his shot wide. By then, it felt like a pattern rather than an accident.
Leeds had barely threatened, but when they did, they reminded Forest of the fine margins. A set-piece delivery found Tarik Muharemovic, and his header forced Sels into a flying save, the goalkeeper tipping over at full stretch.
Forest responded again. Milenkovic climbed highest and sent a looping effort towards the top corner, only for Trafford to get the faintest of touches and tip it onto the crossbar. Another near miss, another collective exhale from the away end.
The pressure kept coming. The breakthrough never did.
Stach strikes, Leeds snatch it
So the punishment felt inevitable when Leeds finally earned a free-kick near the edge of the box with two minutes of normal time left. Stach stood over it, just on the corner of the area, angles tight, options limited.
He went for the near post. Low, quick, precise.
Sels reacted late, the ball skipped past him and nestled inside the upright. Leeds players sprinted to the away fans, white shirts piling on top of Stach as the City Ground fell almost silent.
For Forest, a familiar story: dominance, wasted chances, no reward. For Leeds, still shaking off memories of last season’s brush with relegation, it was the kind of ugly, opportunistic win that can change the mood of a campaign.
They leave Nottingham with three points, a clean sheet, and a psychological edge ahead of Tuesday’s Carabao Cup rematch. Forest leave with questions they thought they’d left behind last season.
