Stach’s free-kick beat Sels at his near post, and Glasner’s first Forest match ended with nothing

Oliver Glasner had told his Nottingham Forest players before kick-off that whoever won the set-piece battle would win the game. Two minutes from the end, Anton Stach won a free-kick just outside the left corner of the penalty area, curled it past Matz Sels at the near post, and Leeds United took three points from the City Ground on the opening Saturday of the Premier League season.

One moment in a match with very few

There was not much in it before Stach struck. Harry Wilson had the ball in the net for Leeds in the 25th minute and lost it to an offside flag. Igor Jesus twice worked himself into space for headers, forcing a save from James Trafford in the first half before he headed the second over the bar early in the second. Forest hit the post. Chris Wood came off the bench and dragged his chance wide.

Sels answered most of what Leeds sent at him, pushing away a header from Tarik Muharemovic and saving from Brenden Aaronson. Then came the free-kick, and the one save he could not make. A crowd of 30,739 watched a game that looked like finishing 0-0 finish 1-0.

Farke gets the start he wanted

Daniel Farke sent out three players making their league debuts for Leeds in Wilson, Muharemovic and Trafford, and got a clean sheet and an away win out of a first afternoon that could have gone several other ways.

“I am very happy. It couldn’t be a better way to start the season,” Farke said, and made a point of where the three points came from. “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.” He also noted the clean sheet, with several new signings on the pitch.

Glasner asks for patience, and has an argument

Glasner called the winner “a lucky punch that was on their side” and pointed straight back at his own team talk. One set piece decided a game he had framed around set pieces. “I think we did enough to win,” he said, and the chances Forest created in the second half back him up more than the scoreline does.

This was his first competitive match in charge since he took the job in July, and Forest supporters have heard new managers ask for time before. The difference is that Glasner is asking after a performance rather than instead of one. Losing at home on the opening day is still losing at home on the opening day.

The rematch is on Tuesday

These two meet again at the City Ground on Tuesday in the second round of the EFL Cup, three days after the free-kick that settled this one. Forest will not have to wait long for the chance to answer it.

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