Nottingham Forest 3–1 Brentford: Wood at the Double as Forest Start Fast

Nottingham Forest kicked off their Premier League campaign in style with a commanding 3–1 victory over Brentford at the City Ground, earning their first opening-day win since 2017 and laying down an early marker in their push for European football.

Forest needed just five minutes to settle any nerves. Chris Wood, leading the line with typical physicality, pounced from close range after Brentford failed to clear a corner. The early strike lifted the home crowd and set the tone for a relentless first-half display in which Nuno Espírito Santo’s men pressed high, moved the ball with confidence, and exploited spaces in Brentford’s back line.

The hosts’ second came in the 41st minute, courtesy of a debut goal for Swiss international Dan Ndoye. The winger, signed this summer from Basel, timed his leap perfectly to meet Morgan Gibbs-White’s delicate chip, nodding past a stranded Caoimhin Kelleher. Ndoye’s tireless running and willingness to cut inside already hinted at the kind of direct threat Forest fans can expect from the new signing.

Forest weren’t finished there. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Elliot Anderson showed his class by pouncing on a loose pass from Sepp van den Berg in midfield. The former Newcastle man slid an incisive through ball into Wood’s path, and the New Zealand striker showed composure in abundance, rounding Kelleher before slotting home his second of the evening. It was Wood’s first opening-day brace since his Burnley days and underlined his value to Nuno’s game plan, which depends heavily on a focal point up front.

Brentford, by contrast, looked disjointed and toothless for large periods. In their first competitive outing under Keith Andrews, appointed following the departure of Thomas Frank after five years in charge, the Bees struggled to find rhythm. Their best spell came in the final 20 minutes as Forest eased off.

A late lifeline arrived in the 78th minute when Ibrahim Sangaré handled inside the box, allowing summer signing Igor Thiago to dispatch the penalty confidently.

The Brazilian striker’s finish at least gave the travelling support something to cheer, but it did little to mask a difficult afternoon for Andrews’ side, who looked second best in most departments.

For Forest, the victory was as much about control as it was about attacking intent. Ryan Yates marshalled the midfield with energy and discipline, Gibbs-White once again dictated play between the lines, and Murillo produced a commanding display at the back, ensuring Brentford’s limited threat was dealt with.

The result hands Forest a confidence-boosting start as they aim to build on last season’s impressive seventh-place finish, which secured them Europa League football. With a busy schedule ahead, early momentum could prove invaluable. Brentford, meanwhile, face an immediate test of character as Andrews seeks to implement his ideas and steady a side adjusting to life after Frank.

The City Ground departed with renewed optimism, sensing that under Nuno’s leadership, this could be the season Forest take another step forward. For Brentford, the hard work starts now.