Forest booed off as Yates own goal sinks Nottingham Forest in Braga defeat

Nottingham Forest were booed off by their travelling support after Ryan Yates’ own goal condemned them to a narrow defeat at Sporting Braga in the Europa League.

Morgan Gibbs-White saw his penalty saved just 55 seconds before the Braga goal as an uninspiring Forest display means a top-eight finish is now unlikely.

To make matters worse, substitute Elliot Anderson was shown a straight red card for foul and abusive language towards the referee in stoppage time.

Sean Dyche’s side go into the final round of league matches in 15th, three points behind Real Betis – the only top-eight side they could overhaul – in eighth, and will almost certainly face a two-legged play-off in February to reach the last 16.

The away fans were far from happy with their side’s performance, greeting both the half-time and full-time whistles with loud boos.

The game was played in front of a half-empty stadium with many home fans opting to stay at home amid the torrential rain brought to Portugal by Storm Ingrid – and after 45 minutes they had missed nothing.

Braga winger Gabri Martinez headed wide the only chance of an insipid first half and it was the hosts who started quicker after the break.

Ricardo Horta put a good chance high and wide after good work from Martinez, who was involved at the other end moments later as he brought down James McAtee in the box to gift Forest a penalty.

Gibbs-White stepped up but his spot-kick was saved by Braga keeper Lukas Hornicek, diving low to his left.

Less than a minute later, Forest were behind as Horta got past Nikola Milenkovic far too easily and his attempted cutback hit Yates before trickling into the net.

Gibbs-White fired another chance over the bar, Ola Aina hit the bar with a stinging effort from 30 yards and Dan Ndoye was denied by Hornicek from close range late on but Forest could not find the equaliser.

They felt they should have had a penalty in the last minute of the 90 but instead Ndoye was booked for diving, and with frustration boiling over Anderson talked himself into a red card.

But while Forest players and fans fume, a big win for Braga lifts them to fifth and boosts their top-eight chances.

Dyche made seven changes to the XI from Saturday’s draw against Arsenal, and much like the last time he made multiple changes – in their FA Cup exit at Wrexham – those brought in did little to boost their chance of more regular minutes.

While the conditions did not help, the first 45 minutes were among the most forgettable of the season with Braga showing next to no ambition to attack and Forest unable to cause them any problems going the other way.

The game livened up somewhat after the break but Gibbs-White failed to convert his penalty – his second failure from the spot in the Europa League this season – and Braga, with a bit of good fortune, immediately provided the sucker punch.

Forest’s defending left a lot to be desired, and once Braga had the lead they were more than happy to defend it.

For all Forest pushed for a leveller, it was Braga who came closest to finding the game’s second goal when substitute Pau Victor hit the inside of the post.

Anderson, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Neco Williams were sent on to try to rectify the situation but, although there was added urgency in their play, the goal would not come.

Yates had a goalbound header kept out by a last-ditch block, while on another day Ndoye might have earned Forest a second penalty after a careless challenge from former Wolves midfielder Joao Moutinho.

But, ultimately, the English side did not do enough and face Ferencvaros at the City Ground next week needing to win and hope for the most unlikely sequence of results if they are to avoid the play-offs.