Sean Dyche began his Nottingham Forest tenure with a perfect victory as Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus converted penalties to defeat Porto in the Europa League. The goals secured Forest’s first win since August’s Premier League opener, their first clean sheet since April, and handed Dyche a triumphant debut after his Tuesday appointment.
Forest endured a turbulent start to the season after sacking Ange Postecoglou on Saturday, just 39 days after he replaced Nuno Espirito Santo. Amid the noise at the lively City Ground, Dyche quickly restored belief and structure. Gibbs-White converted from the spot in the 19th minute after Jan Bednarek’s handball.
Forest Find Structure and Spirit
Forest displayed greater composure and discipline than under Postecoglou’s brief reign. Callum Hudson-Odoi forced Diogo Costa into a save, while Matz Sels denied Alan Varela’s long-range effort. Jesus struck a second penalty with 13 minutes left after referee Radu Petrescu reviewed the incident and overturned a booking for Nicolo Savona, ruling Martim Fernandes’ challenge as a foul.
Porto suffered their first defeat of the season after winning 10 of their previous 11 matches. VAR also disallowed Bednarek’s second-half strike for offside.
History, Grit, and New Beginnings
Only Matz Sels and Willy Boly were born when Forest last won a European match in November 1995, beating Lyon 1-0 in the UEFA Cup before falling to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals. Three days before that victory, Dyche had played for Chesterfield across the Trent in a 4-1 loss to Notts County.
Those days feel distant now. Saturday’s 3-0 defeat by Chelsea ended Postecoglou’s short spell, but Dyche’s arrival sparked resilience and unity. Forest earned their first win since opening day through determination, not flair, as the City Ground roared in approval.
Dyche reminded everyone that results matter most, saying in his first press conference, “the bit I like is when you win.” Gibbs-White and Jesus delivered exactly that, sealing a vital win against Portugal’s league leaders and reinforcing Forest’s push for stability after weeks of turmoil.
Dyche next leads Forest to Bournemouth on Sunday before facing Manchester United at home on 1 November. Porto visit Moreirense on Monday before hosting Braga on 2 November.
