Leeds United 1-1 Nottingham Forest: Lewis Grabban earns point for visitors

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Pablo Hernandez scores for LeedsImage source, PA Media
Image caption,

Pablo Hernandez has scored in each of Leeds' first two Championship matches this season

Lewis Grabban's scrappy equaliser earned Nottingham Forest a point against Leeds United at Elland Road.

A 59th-minute goal from Pablo Hernandez had put the home side on course to start the Championship season with a second successive victory.

However, when the hosts failed to clear a corner, Grabban scrambled the ball in from two yards to secure Forest's first point under new boss Sabri Lamouchi.

The hosts had been dominant for long spells before Spanish midfielder Hernandez, who scored in Leeds' win at Bristol City on Sunday, raced onto Mateusz Klich's pass to finish smartly past Aro Muric.

Patrick Bamford had missed several attempts to open the scoring for Leeds, including a miscued volley that struck the crossbar.

Forest's best chance for an equaliser looked to have come and gone when captain Michael Dawson headed over from eight yards out, but Grabban's intervention brought the visitors level.

Both sides felt aggrieved with decisions going against them in the build-up to the goals they conceded; Forest claimed Bamford was offside before Hernandez was played through on goal, while Grabban pulled back Leeds captain Liam Cooper off the ball in the move that led to the corner from which he scored.

Leeds also had legitimate claims for a penalty waved away in the closing stages, with Jack Robinson's challenge on Stuart Dallas going unpunished.

Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa: "We lost two points so we are disappointed with the result, but the team is growing and not losing the ball easily.

"We didn't receive counter-attacks today. They (Forest) scored from a corner which we gave away.

"We had a lot of chances to put the ball in the box from the sides. We had players in the box waiting for the ball. But of course this is something that we can improve."

On his side's late penalty claims for a foul on Dallas: "It's very difficult to be a referee. I don't know if it was a penalty but we had enough ways to solve the game without this."

Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi: "To play probably the best team in the league wasn't easy, so I'd like to praise my players.

"Leeds have a lot of quality but they missed some of the passes to finish and to open the goal. Of course if they score quickly, especially here, then it would have been very difficult for us.

"After they scored, my players came back so congratulations to them. We changed a little bit and it worked.

"There are a lot of positive things. We have a lot of new players, a new manager and there's not been much time.

"So to find the right way and to prepare the best way, we know it will be really tough for us to start with."

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