Inframe News – Leeds United have beaten Nottingham Forest for the second time in just four days, this time winning 2-0 at the City Ground to reach the third round of the Carabao Cup. The result came after Leeds had already secured a 1-0 Premier League victory at the same stadium on Saturday. Dan James and James Justin were on target as Daniel Farke’s side continued their strong start to the new campaign.
There was a familiar feeling around the City Ground as the two Premier League teams met again so soon after their league clash. Forest were hoping for a quick response following Saturday’s defeat, while Leeds arrived with plenty of confidence. Instead, the visitors produced another disciplined performance and walked away with another win.
The first half ended without a goal, although Leeds had looked dangerous during several attacking moves. Forest struggled to create clear opportunities and found it difficult to consistently put pressure on the Leeds defence. The home side also made several changes as Oliver Glasner looked for a different result this time around.
Leeds finally broke the deadlock five minutes after the restart. Dan James received the opportunity to shoot and sent a right-footed effort into the top-left corner in the 50th minute. It was another important contribution from the Wales international during Leeds’ impressive opening days of the season.
Forest then tried to respond, but Leeds continued to control large periods of the match. The visitors remained organised and created problems whenever they moved forward. Forest’s attacking players struggled to find enough space against a Leeds side that looked increasingly comfortable with their advantage.
Leeds eventually doubled their lead in the 75th minute after a scramble inside the Forest penalty area. The goal was initially recorded as a Neco Williams own goal, but it was later credited to Leeds defender James Justin. Leeds’ official match report also listed Justin as the scorer.
The second goal effectively ended Forest’s hopes of turning the match around. Leeds had now won twice at the City Ground in the space of a few days, scoring three goals without conceding. The result also gave Farke another successful night as he continues to build his newly promoted side.
For Forest, the defeat means Glasner is still waiting for his first competitive victory as manager. His team have now lost their opening two matches of the campaign, both against Leeds and both at home. The Austrian manager has acknowledged that Forest are still a long way from where he wants them to be.
Glasner has also pointed to the difficult circumstances surrounding the club. Forest spent much of last season fighting against relegation, while the squad has experienced significant changes during the summer. The manager has stressed that building a new team will require time and hard work rather than instant results.
Leeds, meanwhile, continue to enjoy a very different start to the season. They have now beaten Forest twice in four days and progressed into the third round of the Carabao Cup. Their latest victory also came with several squad changes, showing Farke has options beyond the XI that started the league opener.
The match also gave Leeds goalkeeper James Trafford another opportunity to impress after his summer move. Trafford has quickly become an important part of the squad and made several useful contributions during the early stages of the campaign. His arrival has added another major piece to Leeds’ squad following their promotion to the Premier League.
Leeds will now wait to discover their opponent in the third round of the Carabao Cup. Forest, meanwhile, must turn their attention back to Premier League football after suffering two consecutive defeats. Their next fixtures will give Glasner another chance to find the first win of his tenure.
