**Europa League: Nottingham Forest Held to 2-2 Draw by Real Betis**
*By Rajdeep Saha | Sep 25, 2025, 03:40 AM*
Nottingham Forest’s eagerly anticipated return to European competition ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw against Real Betis in the UEFA Europa League. This marked Forest’s first European match since 1996, offering fans a nostalgic glimpse of past glories. However, the occasion was tinged with frustration as a late equalizer from former Manchester United winger Antony in the 85th minute denied Forest a memorable victory.
### Match Highlights
Forest began strongly and took a 2-1 lead into half-time in a match filled with excitement. Real Betis drew first blood when DR Congo forward Cedric Bakambu scored in the 15th minute. Just four minutes later, Forest’s Brazilian forward Igor Jesus leveled the score following a clever pass from captain Morgan Gibbs-White. Jesus then gave Forest the lead in the 23rd minute by heading in a corner delivered by Douglas Luiz.
### Match Dynamics
Despite a solid midfield performance from Elliot Anderson and continual threats from Jesus upfront, Forest were unable to maintain their lead. They came close to extending their advantage when Callum Hudson-Odoi struck the post in the 33rd minute. Yet, Antony’s late goal in the 85th minute salvaged a point for Betis and dealt a blow to Nottingham Forest manager Ange Postecoglou, who was hoping for his first win at the helm.
### A Historic Night for Forest Fans
Around 5,000 passionate Nottingham Forest supporters were in attendance in Seville, many of whom remember the club’s legendary European Cup victories in 1979 and 1980 under Brian Clough. While the late equalizer was disappointing, the overall performance was encouraging as Postecoglou’s side prepares to return home for their upcoming Premier League match against Sunderland.
### Igor Jesus Enters the Record Books
According to Opta stats, Igor Jesus has become the fifth player in Premier League history to score two or more goals in each of their first two starts for a club across all competitions. The list includes:
– Guy Whittingham (Sheffield Wednesday, 1994)
– Dion Dublin (Aston Villa, 1998)
– Marcus Rashford (Manchester United, 2016)
– Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal, 2019)
– Igor Jesus (Nottingham Forest, 2025)
### Additional Opta Stats
– Nottingham Forest avoided defeat in their opening European campaign match for the first time since September 1984, when they drew against Club Brugge in the UEFA Cup.
– Real Betis have failed to beat English sides in nine of their ten European encounters (1 win, 2 draws, 7 losses).
– For the first time, Real Betis scored two or more goals against an English team in European competition (2-2 vs. Forest).
Overall, Nottingham Forest’s return to European football was a display of promise and resilience, setting a positive tone for the campaign ahead.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/europa-league-antony-helps-real-betis-hold-forest/story
