Braga vs Nottingham Forest: Report, result, goals from Europa League

Nottingham Forest missed a penalty seconds before conceding the decisive goal as the Premier League side lost at Braga to damage their hopes of reaching the Europa League last 16.

Ryan Yates tapped a cross over his own line in the 54th minute after home goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek had tipped away Morgan Gibbs-White’s penalty, proving the pivotal moment and putting Forest’s ambitions of a top-eight finish out of their hands.

Gibbs White sees his penalty saved by Horníček 🧤

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/OFAup2v8lI

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 22, 2026

Sean Dyche’s team, who also had Elliot Anderson dismissed during second-half added time, must win at home to top-eight contenders Ferencvaros on January 29 to have a chance of going through automatically, although they are assured of a two-legged play-off to reach the next stage.

In the blink of an eye Nottingham Forest miss a penalty and Braga take the lead through a Yates own goal ⚽️

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/a9JPTFdqwB

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 22, 2026

Braga vs Forest: Europa League misery for visitors

The penalty incident was cruel on Forest, who would have been in a top-eight position with victory and were awarded the spot kick when Gabri Martinez was ruled to have clipped James McAtee, with a Video Assistant Referee check confirming the decision.

Ola Aina struck the woodwork for Forest from distance shortly after the goal and former Barcelona forward Pau Victor then followed suit for Braga, who did not unduly trouble goalkeeper Matz Sels.

Dan Ndoye had two close-range shots from a tight angle saved late on as Forest pressed in vain for an equaliser.

Anderson’s red card appeared to be for dissent, leaving the midfielder and his teammates looking mystified with the decision.

Braga team vs Forest

Braga made six changes to the side who won at Tondela.

Braga starting XI: Lukas Hornicek, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Sikou Niakate, Bright Arrey-Mbi, Victor Gomez, Florian Grillitsch, Jean-Baptiste Gorby, Gabri Martinez, Diego Rodrigues, Fran Navarro, Ricardo Horta

Braga substitutes: Tiago Sa, Leonardo Lelo, Vitor Carvalho, Joao Moutinho, Paulo Oliveira, Gabriel Moscardo, Pau Victor, Mario Dorgeles, Alaa Bellaarouch, Yanis da Rocha, Joao Aragao, Sandro Vidigal

Nottingham Forest team vs Braga

Forest made seven changes from their 0-0 home draw with Arsenal, including the return of Ryan Yates from injury in midfield.

Nottingham Forest starting XI: Matz Sels, Nicolo Savona, Nikola Milenkovic, Morato, Ola Aina, Dilane Bakwa, Ryan Yates, Douglas Luiz, James McAtee, Dan Ndoye, Morgan Gibbs-White

Forest substitutes: Angus Gunn, Neco Williams, Ibrahim Sangare, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Elliot Anderson, Nicolas Dominguez, Zach Abbott, Archie Whitehall, Jack Thompson, Jimmy Sinclair, Ben Hammond, Keehan Willows

Braga vs Nottingham Forest stats

• This was the first ever meeting between Sporting Braga and Nottingham Forest
• Braga’s three most recent Europa League games against English teams had produced 16 goals, with two 3-3 draws against Wolves and Leicester and a 4-0 defeat to the Foxes
• Including qualifiers, Braga have won 11 of their last 14 European matches (D2 L1)
• They have kept 10 clean sheets along the way
• Ricardo Horta made his 50th Europa League start and has 13 assists overall in the competition, with only four players having more
• A total of 10 wins in all European competition in 2025/26 is their most in a season, eclipsing their nine victories in 2010/11
• Forest’s only previous European match against a Portuguese side came on Matchday 3 this season, beating Porto 2-0 at home in Sean Dyche’s first game as manager
• They had won three of their four Europa League games under Dyche (D1), making him one of only two English managers with three wins in their first four games in the competition, along with Gary Neville in 2016 with Valencia
• No Englishman has won four of his first five in the Europa League

Nottingham Forest Europa League squad 2025/26

Forest’s List A Europa League squad has been registered until the round of 16 in February 2026, when clubs can add a maximum of three new players within the existing limit of 25.

Goalkeepers: Matz Sels, John Victor

Defenders: Oleksandr Zinchenko, Neco Williams, Willy Boly, Nikola Milenkovic, Morato, Murillo, Nicolo Savona

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson, Nicolas Dominguez, Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ibrahim Sangare, Ryan Yates

Forwards: Dilane Bakwa, Igor Jesus, Arnaud Kalimuendo, Douglas Luiz, James McAtee, Dan Ndoye, Chris Wood

List B submissions, comprised of players born after January 1, 2004 who have been eligible to play for the club for an uninterrupted period of two years since their 15th birthday, can also be made until midnight before each match.

Nottingham Forest Europa League schedule 2025/26

In a change from the previous group stage held until 2023/24, each team now plays eight matches in the league phase, all against different opponents.

The top eight sides in the table qualify automatically for the round of 16. The teams finishing in ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged knockout phase play-off to reach the last 16.

Teams finishing 25th or lower are out of Europe for the season.

Knockout phase play-offs: February 17/18 & 24/25 2026

Round of 16: March 10/11 & 17/18 2026

Quarter-finals: April 7/8 & 14/15 2026

Semi-finals: April 28/29 and May 5/6 2026

Final: May 30 2026

When are the Europa League draws?

Knockout phase play-offs: January 30 2026

Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final, and final: February 27 2026

Which English clubs are in the Europa League 2025/26?

Forest’s participation comes after they were promoted from the Conference League because of a UEFA ruling against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace, upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Aston Villa qualified by finishing sixth in 2024/25, although they would have been in the Champions League had they not lost at Manchester United on the final day.

When is the Europa League final?

The final will take place on May 20 2025 at the Besiktas Stadium home of 16-time Turkish champions Besiktas.

The stadium hosted a dramatic 2019 Super Cup final, Chelsea and Liverpool each scoring once during regular and extra time before the Reds won on penalties following the 2-2 draw.