UEFA Europa League League Stage - 7
SC Braga 1 - 0 FT Nottingham Forest
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
HT
46' ↓ S. Niakate ↑Vitor Carvalho
50' Gabriel Martínez
54' R. Yates (R. Horta)
62' ↓ F. Grillitsch ↑J. Moutinho
62' ↓ F. Navarro ↑P. Victor
↓ O. Aina ↑N. Williams 68'
↓ J. McAtee ↑C. Hudson-Odoi 68'
↓ Douglas Luiz ↑E. Anderson 68'
75' ↓ R. Horta ↑M. Dorgeles
↓ D. Bakwa ↑N. Dominguez 75'
↓ R. Yates ↑I. Sangare 83'
Neco Williams 84'
85' ↓ G. Martinez ↑L. Lelo
Dan Ndoye 89'
Elliot Anderson 90'+4
Ibrahim Sangaré 90'+5
Bench Tiago Sá
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
SC Braga
Goalkeepers
L. Hornicek 
PENALTY HERO
1
Pens Saved
1
Pens Saved
4
Saves
8.2
Rating
Defenders
G. Lagerbielke 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
100%
Duel Win %
S. Niakate 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
B. Arrey-Mbi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
V. Gomez 
MAGNET
71
Activity
71
Activity
62
Passes
9
Duels
Gorby 
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
5
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
F. Grillitsch
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
62
Total Mins
62
Entry
G. Martinez 
FRIENDLY FIRE
Pen Given
Mistake
Pen Given
Mistake
1
Fouls
7.3
Rating
Forwards
R. Horta
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
75
Total Mins
75
Entry
D. Rodrigues
MAGNET
50
Activity
50
Activity
37
Passes
13
Duels
F. Navarro
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
62
Total Mins
62
Entry
BENCH
T. Sa 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
A. Bellaarouch
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
L. Lelo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
12
Total Mins
Started
Entry
P. Oliveira
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Vitor Carvalho
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. Moutinho
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
28
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Gabriel Moscardo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M. Dorgeles
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
15
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Y. da Rocha
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
P. Victor
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
28
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. Aragao
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
S. Vidigal
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Nottingham Forest
Goalkeepers
M. Sels
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
N. Savona
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
N. Milenkovic
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Morato
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
O. Aina 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Midfielders
J. McAtee
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
68
Entry
Douglas Luiz
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
68
Entry
R. Yates
FRIENDLY FIRE
Own Goal
Mistake
Own Goal
Mistake
4
Fouls
5.7
Rating
D. Bakwa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
75
Total Mins
75
Entry
Forwards
M. Gibbs-White
MAGNET
45
Activity
45
Activity
32
Passes
13
Duels
D. Ndoye
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
BENCH
A. Gunn
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
K. Willows
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
N. Williams
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
21
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Z. Abbott
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. Thompson
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
B. Hammond
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
I. Sangare
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
15
Total Mins
Started
Entry
E. Anderson
FRIENDLY FIRE
Red Card
Mistake
Red Card
Mistake
1
Fouls
6.7
Rating
N. Dominguez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
15
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Whitehall
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. Sinclair
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
C. Hudson-Odoi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
22
Total Mins
Started
Entry
League Standings
P: 7 GD: +11
P: 7 GD: +7
P: 7 GD: +7
P: 7 GD: +8
P: 7 GD: +6
P: 7 GD: +7
P: 7 GD: +5
P: 7 GD: +5
P: 7 GD: +4
P: 7 GD: +3
P: 7 GD: +1
P: 7 GD: +5
P: 7 GD: +5
P: 7 GD: +4
P: 7 GD: +4
P: 7 GD: +4
P: 7 GD: +4
P: 7 GD: +3
P: 7 GD: +2
P: 7 GD: -2
P: 7 GD: +2
P: 7 GD: -1
P: 7 GD: -5
P: 7 GD: -4
P: 7 GD: -4
P: 7 GD: -3
P: 7 GD: -3
P: 7 GD: -4
P: 7 GD: -7
P: 7 GD: -8
P: 7 GD: -7
P: 7 GD: -7
P: 7 GD: -7
P: 7 GD: -8
P: 7 GD: -10
League Standings
P: 8 GD: +13
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +10
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +7
P: 8 GD: +4
P: 8 GD: +7
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +1
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +5
P: 8 GD: +1
P: 8 GD: +4
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -3
P: 8 GD: -4
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -7
P: 8 GD: -8
P: 8 GD: -4
P: 8 GD: -4
P: 8 GD: -5
P: 8 GD: -9
P: 8 GD: -8
P: 8 GD: -10
P: 8 GD: -11
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Yates' Misfortune and Horníček's Heroics Steal the Show
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 35/100. A bizarre own goal and a goalkeeping masterclass masked a largely uninspiring clash that the visitors will feel they threw away.
A Gritty Opening
The atmosphere at the Estádio Municipal de Braga promised a captivating European night under the lights, but the pitch ultimately delivered a gritty, slow burner. SC Braga controlled possession comfortably through the first half, holding 57% of the ball as they passed it around the midfield, yet they completely failed to test the visiting goalkeeper. The Intensity was noticeably lacking from the hosts, who generated a staggering zero shots on target throughout the entire ninety minutes despite attempting six efforts. Conversely, Nottingham Forest looked far more dangerous whenever they launched a counter-attack. The English outfit racked up a superior expected goals tally and peppered the opposition box with twelve total shots, but a dire lack of clinical edge kept the scoreline deadlocked. It was a tactical, frustrating stalemate where the visitors looked likeliest to strike first, despite seeing significantly less of the ball.
The Unlikely Breakthrough
The match desperately needed a creative spark, and it arrived in the most unfortunate manner possible shortly after the interval. In the 54th minute, R. Horta forced the issue in the final third, delivering a dangerous, teasing ball into the penalty area that R. Yates disastrously turned into his own net. That single, agonizing moment completely shifted the Balance of the tie. Forced to abandon their patient approach and chase the game, Forest ramped up the attacking pressure, leading to the defining individual performance of the night. Lukáš Horníček became an absolute, impenetrable wall for the Portuguese side. The goalkeeper produced four critical, acrobatic saves, including a monumental penalty stop that completely broke the visitors' spirit, preserved his well-earned clean sheet, and kept the narrow advantage intact.
Frustration Boils Over
As the clock ruthlessly ticked down toward the final whistle, Braga retreated into a rigid, organized defensive shell to protect their precious lead. Gustaf Lagerbielke was utterly dominant at the back, putting in a commanding man-of-the-match shift to repel wave after wave of desperate English attacks. The sheer frustration of generating 1.79 expected goals and managing five shots on target without finding the back of the net finally boiled over in stoppage time. An ugly late argument saw Elliot Anderson shown a straight red card in the 94th minute, ending the physical contest on a decidedly sour note for the traveling supporters. This hard-fought result propels Braga comfortably into sixth place in the Europa League standings, while Forest must quickly regroup to save their fading campaign. Given the chaotic, error-strewn quality of the football, the overall Stakes felt remarkably muted for neutral observers tuning in.
Key Questions
How did the red card for Elliot Anderson impact the match?
Occurring in the 94th minute during an argument, the dismissal effectively killed Nottingham Forest's final push for an equalizer and cemented their frustrating defeat.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Braga Chase Top-Eight Direct Qualification Against Resolute Forest
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 48/100. While both teams are virtually guaranteed a playoff spot, Braga’s push to bypass the knockout playoff round gives this clash a distinct edge.
The Setup
SC Braga enter Matchday 7 sitting 6th with 17 points, tantalizingly close to securing a top-eight finish that ensures direct passage. Their defensive solidity is the foundation, but a modest Stakes rating suggests the pressure isn't crushing just yet. Nottingham Forest, currently 13th on 14 points, are firmly above the 24-team playoff line. A decent Form rating for the visitors highlights their capacity to upset the hosts at Estádio Municipal de Braga. A perfect Stars metric guarantees elite talent on the pitch, even if the competitive Balance of a 6th versus 13th matchup lacks do-or-die urgency.
Key Battle
The flanks will dictate this European tie. Braga's Gabriel Martínez is thriving, using his pace to stretch opposition lines. He faces a stiff test against Forest's Neco Williams. The Welsh full-back loves to bomb forward but must remain disciplined today. If Williams overcommits, Martínez will ruthlessly exploit the space left behind.
Our Prediction
Expect a calculated, tactical affair. Forest will look to strike on the counter, but Braga’s sturdy defensive record will frustrate the English side. We see Braga edging a tight contest, leaning on their home advantage to secure a narrow victory and cement their top-eight status.