Utrecht’s Europa League hopes fade after last-gasp defeat to Nottingham Forest
FC Utrecht picked up another defeat in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday after English side Nottingham Forest scored a 89th-minute winner in the Galgenwaard. Utrecht had leveled through Mike van de Hoorn in the final stage of the game after falling behind, but Igor Jesus scored a late winner to make it 2-1.
Ron Jans’ side is still winless in the Europa League. Their draw against FC Porto is their only point in six games in the competition, and a place in the playoff spots is looking less likely by the week.
It was a difficult start for the home side. Goalkeeper Vasilias Barkas was forced into his first save in the seventh minute when Callum Hudson Odoi tried to curl a shot into the far corner, which the keeper tipped wide.
The English winger was dangerous again for a few minutes. A cross was deflected to him in the box, and he showed great vision and skill to backheel it into the path of Oleksandr Zinchenko, who got the finish all wrong, putting it wide of the goal.
Forest came close again in the 13th minute. Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz chipped a cross into the box, and it was met by Morato; his header was going in if not for Utrecht defender Mike Eerdhuijzen, who got his head on to the effort.
It was turning into a busy evening for Barkas as the Greek keeper was forced into another save when Luiz shot from the edge of the area. The rebound fell to Dan Ndoye, but his effort went wide of the goal.
This was followed by Utrecht’s first chance of the game. Matisse Didden found Siebe Horemans with a chipped pass with Forest keeper John Victor coming far out of his goal. This gave Horemans a slim chance of lobbing the ball into the goal, but Morato was on hand to head it away.
The visitors took the lead in the 52nd minute. Arnaud Kalimuendo forced his way through the Utrecht defense with an element of good fortune before drilling a shot into the far corner.
He should have gotten his second seven minutes later when he was found unmarked at the far post from a corner. He attempted to guide the ball into the net with his knee, but the effort hit the post.
Utrecht equalized in the 73rd minute. A fantastic cross from Soufian El Karouani was nodded into the net by defender Mike van den Hoorn, who had been dropped by manager Jans.
Then came the dagger for the home side. A chip by Morgan Gibbs White to Hudson Odoi was then crossed into the box by the English winger to Ndoye, his header was saved by Barkas before Jesus converted the rebound.
Jans’ side is now 32nd in the 36-team league, with a five-point gap to the playoff spots. They play KRC Genk and Celtic in their remaining two games.
