Despite knowing failure to win here would confirm their elimination, Utrecht turned in the kind of early performance which explained why they’ve struggled so badly this term.
Callum Hudson-Odoi twice tested Vasilis Barkas in the hosts’ goal inside the opening 10 minutes as Forest cranked up the early pressure, before Morato’s header was headed up and over the bar on the line by a Utrecht defender.
Dyche’s men continued their assault on the Utrecht goal through Douglas Luiz, whose curling effort from distance forced a smart one-handed save out of Barkas.
The feel of the game completely changed midway through the first half, and the pendulum swung in the Dutch side’s favour. Miguel Rodríguez was Utrecht’s main bright spark, and it was their go-to man who almost broke the deadlock when his stunning 30-yard strike forced an equally fine save out of stand-in Forest keeper John Victor.
Forest’s end to the first half certainly won't have pleased Dyche and his staff, and he reacted by making a double change at HT, introducing star man Elliot Anderson to try and get his side back in the ascendancy.
Anderson didn’t have a direct impact in Forest’s opener, but Dyche’s substitutes completely changed the game as the East Midlanders nosed ahead within 10 minutes of the restart.
There was an element of fortune to it as a couple of ricochets fell favourably to Arnaud Kalimuendo, who rifled an effort into the far corner to score in a second successive UEL game. For all their dominance, though, Forest were hit with the ultimate sucker punch. Souffian El Karouani’s free-kick to the far post was teasing, and Mike van der Hoorn ghosted in around the back to head home a leveller.
Utrecht’s tails were up after levelling the scores, but they were dealt a blow when seconds after coming off the bench, Igor Jesus popped up inside the area to slam home a rebound from close range.
Victory was crucial for Forest in their quest to climb up the table, as they now sit on the periphery of the top eight. Utrecht bow out at the league phase, but that’s perhaps not a great surprise given they’re now winless in 17 European matches.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Nicolás Domínguez (Nottingham Forest)