Nottingham Forest 0-1 Leeds United: Anton Stach Stunner Decides Premier League Opener at City Ground

Leeds United marked their return to Premier League action with a hard-fought 1-0 away victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, as Anton Stach's sensational 88th-minute free-kick spoiled Oliver Glasner's competitive debut in the Forest dugout.

Stach Free-Kick Settles Tight Opening Encounter

In a physical Matchweek 1 contest dominated by midfield duels and tactical caution, both sides struggled to carve out clear-cut openings during the first half. Nottingham Forest threatened through a close-range header from Igor Jesus and saw a Nikola Milenković effort strike the woodwork, but Daniel Farke's organised Leeds defence held firm.

The breakthrough arrived two minutes from time when German midfielder Anton Stach stepped up to take a 25-yard free-kick. Having earlier clipped the crossbar with a similar attempt, Stach curled an exquisite strike over the wall and into the bottom corner beyond the reach of goalkeeper Matz Sels, sending the travelling Leeds supporters into raptures.

I think first of all, it is so important to get a good start. It is such a difficult away game. I think the game was really tight overall, it was a lot about duels and winning second balls, and of course it is really nice that we won the game at the end.— Anton Stach, Leeds United Match-Winner

Match Statistics & Key Moments

Managerial Reactions

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke praised his team's defensive cohesion and opportunistic quality in navigating a notoriously tricky opening away trip.

I am very happy. It couldn't be a better way to start the season. The first game is the first three points, especially an away win at a very, very difficult ground in a very competitive and tight game.— Daniel Farke, Leeds United Manager

For Forest head coach Oliver Glasner, the late defeat offered valuable tactical lessons despite the frustration of conceding so late in the match.

Developing the team is a process. There is no button to press to achieve an immediate transformation, but the second half showed the hard work and character we will build upon.— Oliver Glasner, Nottingham Forest Head Coach

Image Credits: The City Ground: Photo by Awuachumele / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons | Daniel Farke: Photo by ZakNelson1995 / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons