Anton Stach's Late Free Kick Lifts Leeds Past Nottingham Forest

Anton Stach scored a late free kick to give Leeds United a 1-0 Premier League victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday. The Guardian reported that the decisive goal arrived with only a couple of minutes of normal time remaining, bringing a frustrating opening league match for Forest under new head coach Oliver Glasner to a losing conclusion.

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The breakthrough followed a foul by Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic on Stach near the edge of the penalty area. Stach took the resulting free kick himself and drove the ball toward goalkeeper Matz Sels's near post. Sels managed to get his right glove to the shot but could not prevent it from crossing the line.

Clear chances were limited, but Leeds produced the more threatening moments. In the first half, debutant Harry Wilson put the ball in the net after reaching Jayden Bogle's pass into the box. The effort did not count because the assistant referee raised the flag for offside, leaving the match scoreless at the interval.

Leeds went close again after the break through another debutant, Tarik Muharemovic. The defender, signed from Sassuolo for £34 million, directed a powerful header toward the top corner. Sels responded with a strong left-handed save, preserving the draw until Stach finally found a way past him late in the contest.

The defeat marked Glasner's first competitive game as Forest's head coach. According to The Guardian, he is the club's fifth head coach in fewer than 12 months. Two of Forest's summer arrivals, Ousmane Diomande and Xaver Schlager, were not included in the starting lineup; Diomande joined from Sporting in a £34 million move.

Leeds celebrated the winner with every outfield player joining Stach, while their traveling support marked an opening-day away victory. Forest will have an immediate opportunity to respond against the same opponent: the clubs are scheduled to meet again at the City Ground on Tuesday, this time in the Carabao Cup.