Sean Dyche marked his debut as Nottingham Forest head coach with a 2-0 victory over Porto in the Europa League, securing the team’s first win in the competition this season. Penalties from Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus sealed the result, lifting Forest from the bottom half of the league phase table.
Dyche’s Dream Start at City Ground
Appointed on Tuesday as Ange Postecoglou’s successor, Dyche, a former Forest youth player, was greeted with a roaring reception at City Ground. He made three changes to the lineup that lost 3-0 to Chelsea, switching to a back four and reinstating Callum Hudson-Odoi, Igor Jesus, and Dan Ndoye in attack. Gibbs-White opened the scoring in the 19th minute, converting a penalty after Jan Bednarek’s handball, marking the first goal of the Dyche era. Despite Porto’s pressure, a disallowed goal by Bednarek, ruled out for Samu Aghehowa’s offside after a VAR check,kept Forest in control, showcasing improved defensive solidity.
Decisive Penalties and Emotional Tribute
With 15 minutes remaining, a second penalty was awarded after a VAR review overturned an initial booking for Nicolò Savona’s dive under Martim Fernandes’ challenge. Igor Jesus calmly slotted home his first City Ground goal, securing the 2-0 win. Porto, unbeaten in their domestic league, struggled to create clear chances, while Forest celebrated their first clean sheet since April. Fans paid heartfelt tributes throughout the match to Harley Pearce, son of club icon Stuart Pearce, who passed away earlier this week. Dyche praised the squad’s adaptability to his tactics in just two days, telling TNT Sports: “It’s a start. We mixed long balls and pocket play, balancing our quality players. There’s more to come as they get fitter.”
