Forest's Dramatic Late Triumph: Igor Jesus Sinks Utrecht in Europa League Thriller

Nottingham Forest secured a vital 2-1 away victory over FC Utrecht in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday evening, marking their first away win in the competition this season.

The match at Stadion Galgenwaard in Utrecht, Netherlands, kicked off at 17:45 UTC. Forest took the lead through Arnaud Kalimuendo, but Utrecht fought back to level the score before Igor Jesus struck late to clinch the points and propel Forest up to eighth in the Europa League table.[1][2][3][4]

Key returns from injury for Douglas Luiz and Murillo bolstered Nuno Espírito Santo's side, though James McAtee was substituted at half-time in a surprising move. Post-match analysis highlighted Forest's dominance in the opening 20 minutes, despite some defensive vulnerabilities from set pieces and squad rotation.[2]

This result under Espírito Santo now stands at six wins in 11 matches, boosting morale and positioning Forest favourably for a top-eight finish in the group phase.[2][3][4]

For British fans, it's a massive boost ahead of the Premier League festive fixtures, with Jesus emerging as the hero of the night in this hard-fought continental clash.[3][4]