Oliver Glasner had barely had time to take stock of his surroundings before the City Ground's warm August evening turned decidedly cold. Forest's new head coach — the club's fifth in fewer than twelve months — stood in the home technical area and watched a largely tepid Premier League opener unravel in its closing minutes, Anton Stach's whipped free-kick nestling inside Matz Sels's near post to hand Leeds United a 1-0 win that their first-half industry probably warranted.

It was, by any measure, a bruising introduction. Glasner inherits a squad in transition, a supporter base with frayed nerves, and now a defeat that will linger until Tuesday evening, when Leeds return to the City Ground in a Carabao Cup rematch that Forest will regard as an immediate opportunity for redemption.

Stach seizes his moment

Clear-cut chances had been rationed throughout a match short on quality, so when Nikola Milenkovic's clumsy challenge on the edge of the Forest penalty area handed Stach a set-piece with time running out, the Leeds midfielder needed no second invitation. His effort was whipped and precise; Sels got a glove to it but could only watch as the ball curled around his right post and into the net. Every outfield Leeds player charged towards the away end in celebration, the visiting support — bathed in the evening sun — erupting in kind. Long before the final whistle, significant portions of the home areas had emptied.

Leeds the sharper side throughout

Daniel Farke's team had carried the greater threat across ninety minutes, even if their best moments were ultimately frustrated. Harry Wilson, one of several new arrivals whose presence signals Leeds's ambition in the top flight, saw what would have been a debut goal correctly ruled out for offside after he latched on to Jayden Bogle's pass in the first half. Tarik Muharemovic, a £34 million summer signing from Sassuolo, then powered a second-half header towards the top corner that Sels repelled with a strong left hand — one of the goalkeeper's more commanding interventions on the night.

Muharemovic, for his part, impressed alongside Joe Rodon and Jaka Bijol in a composed defensive display that gave Forest very little to feed on. James Trafford in the Leeds goal was largely untroubled, Milenkovic and Jair Cunha heading against his post from James McAtee's recycled cross representing Forest's most dangerous moment.

Glasner's task in sharp relief

The Forest manager had named neither Ousmane Diomande, a £34 million acquisition from Sporting, nor Xaver Schlager in his starting line-up. Both eventually entered the fray from the bench — Schlager making his debut — but their introductions failed to alter the contest's direction. Chris Wood also came on late and blazed a Morgan Gibbs-White pass wide with his first touch, a moment that rather summed up Forest's evening.

It would be premature to read too much into a single result. Forest beat Brentford 3-1 on the opening day last season under Nuno Espírito Santo, with eight of the same XI that started on Saturday, and the campaign ultimately produced enough to justify a degree of optimism before managerial turbulence intervened. The transfer window remains open, and Glasner indicated that further arrivals are anticipated before it closes.

Yet the broader picture is one that requires urgent attention. Forest have cycled through managers in spades, and the supporters who streamed out of the City Ground early will need convincing quickly that this latest appointment carries genuine substance. The rematch with Leeds on Tuesday offers the most immediate barometer — defeat in that fixture would intensify the scrutiny around a club that has yet to find its footing this season before it has properly begun.

Frequently asked

Who scored the winning goal for Leeds against Nottingham Forest?
Anton Stach scored the only goal of the game, converting a whipped free-kick late in normal time after Nikola Milenkovic fouled him on the edge of the Forest penalty area.
Is Oliver Glasner the new Nottingham Forest manager?
Yes. Oliver Glasner is Forest's new head coach — their fifth in fewer than twelve months. The win for Leeds means his first competitive match in charge ended in defeat.
When do Forest and Leeds play next after this result?
The two sides meet again on Tuesday evening at the City Ground in a Carabao Cup fixture, giving Forest an almost immediate chance to bounce back from the Premier League loss.