Nottingham Forest Maintain Unbeaten Record in Europa League

Nottingham Forest extended their unbeaten away record in the Europa League, settling for a goalless draw against Sturm Graz at the Merkur Arena.

Continued Success Under Dyche

Since taking the helm, Sean Dyche has kept his undefeated streak in European matches, bringing back a point to England following their earlier 2-0 win against Porto in the competition.

Missed Opportunities

The Reds had a prime chance to secure their dominance early on, with Morgan Gibbs-White having a penalty saved by Oliver Christensen after an offside call nullified a goal by Maurice Malone.

Sturm Graz gradually settled into the match, forcing some tense saves from John Victor, who was making only his second start for the club. The second half became a disjointed affair, with neither team managing to take a shot on target, though Nicolás Domínguez came close to snatching a late winner, only to be thwarted by the crossbar.

Tactical Changes

Dyche opted for a different lineup, making seven changes from the team that drew 2-2 with Manchester United over the weekend. Notable starters, including Neco Williams, Nicolò Savona, Gibbs-White, and Nikola Milenkovic, retained their spots in the starting XI.

Early Chances

Arjan Malic brought down Williams on the edge of the penalty area, allowing Forest to create an early opportunity. Domínguez’s pass to James McAtee resulted in the latter shooting just wide of the post. Forest dominated the opening stages in Austria, nearly scoring when Ryan Yates had a close-range header cleared off the line by Malic in the 17th minute.

High-Pressure Moments

Sturm Graz seemed to take a lead before the 30-minute mark during their first notable attack. Otar Kiteishvili’s run put pressure on the Forest defense, and after his effort was parried by Victor, Malone’s attempt to tap in was ruled offside.

Forest was awarded a penalty when Williams was fouled by Emanuel Aiwu, but Gibbs-White’s effort was saved, as Christensen reacted quickly to deny the scoring opportunity. Sturm Graz had limited attacking moments, yet Tomi Horvat forced Victor into another save with a powerful shot.

Substitutions and Final Attempts

Dyche introduced 19-year-old Zach Abbott, who added some spark, but neither team pushed for a decisive goal late in the match. With 13 minutes remaining, Dyche substituted Gibbs-White for defender Murillo, signaling Forest’s intent to secure a point away in Europe.

In the closing moments, Forest almost clinched victory when Domínguez unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box that struck the crossbar, ensuring both sides walked away with a draw.