Anton Stach produced a moment of brilliance from a free-kick to secure all three points for Leeds United against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on the opening weekend.
It was a tight contest for much of the game, with both sides struggling to create clear-cut opportunities. Just when it looked like the match was heading for a goalless draw, Stach stepped up with a superb late strike to send Leeds back home with a valuable victory.
It is the perfect start to the new Premier League campaign for Daniel Farke’s side and keeps the momentum from their impressive pre-season going.
Forest will be frustrated to lose at home after matching Leeds for most of the game. But ultimately, it came down to one moment of quality from Stach, and that was enough to decide a game that looked destined to finish level.
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Oliver Glasner makes bold Forest vs Leeds verdict
Nottingham Forest boss Oliver Glasner has insisted that his team were the better side against Leeds in the second half and created all the chances.
He feels Forest should have won the game and believes Leeds got lucky by scoring from a free-kick at the end to steal the win at the City Ground.
Glasner said after the game: “I felt in the second half we were the better team; we played the game in their half without having big chances.
“Credit to Leeds though, they defended very well, and they are very aggressive and very physical.
“But we had the best chances and two or three situations we could score from; we hit the post, and Chris Wood had a clear chance.
“We did not take our chances though, and in the end, the lucky punch came from Leeds.”
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Leeds are happy to leave with a win despite what anyone feels about Nottingham Forest
Leeds left the City Ground in high spirits after picking up all three points in their opening Premier League game of the season.
Their away form was a concern coming into the campaign, so they will not be bothered about how the victory came. Anton Stach’s brilliant set-piece was enough to secure a huge result on the road.
The City Ground is a difficult place for any Premier League side to visit, and Leeds are not going to win every away game by playing attractive football.
What mattered was their resilience and their ability to stay in the contest until that one moment of quality arrived. Having someone like Stach, capable of producing something special when it matters, could prove invaluable in games where Leeds may not necessarily deserve all three points.
