Antony swoops late for Betis to deny Nottingham Forest on European return

"Already for Ange Postecoglou it feels like an interminable wait. Just as it seemed he would record his first victory as Nottingham Forest manager in a competition he won last season, Antony levelled for Real Betis to kill the party. Igor Jesus scored twice as Forest recovered from Cedric Bakambu's opener and hit the woodwork in pursuit of a first-half hat-trick but the former Manchester United winger, derided after struggling in the Premier League, equalised in the 85th minute."

"This was a big moment, Forest's first competitive game on the European stage since March 1996 and, as Postecoglou highlighted, finally an opportunity for the generations of supporters who have heard the stories of yesteryear but not lived the experiences. About 5,000 Forest supporters travelled to Seville 3,385 stationed in the away end, up in the gods at this beige out-of-town arena temporarily home to Betis while the Benito Villamarin is being upgraded."

"Most descended on the stadium from Parque de los Perdigones, a communal march presenting the ideal opportunity for fans to relive those less salubrious jaunts down the years. The Forest supporters sang about trips to Gillingham, Huddersfield, Hull and Rotherham; five years ago on Thursday they lost 1-0 at Huddersfield, with Ryan Yates, among the substitutes here, the sole survivor from the squad that day."

Nottingham Forest recovered from an early Cedric Bakambu opener as Igor Jesus scored twice and struck the woodwork while chasing a first-half hat-trick. Antony equalised for Real Betis in the 85th minute, denying Forest a win and extending Ange Postecoglou's wait for a first victory. The match marked Forest's first competitive European fixture since March 1996 and attracted around 5,000 travelling supporters, with 3,385 fans in the away end. Many fans marched from Parque de los Perdigones and sang about historic away trips. Owner Evangelos Marinakis invested heavily, including 200m this summer, to prepare the squad for multi-front competition.

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