Nottingham Forest defeats Bayer Leverkusen with Kalimuendo’s late goal

Arnaud Kalimuendo waited until the final minute to make his mark, slotting home the decisive goal as Nottingham Forest edged Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 at the City Ground on August 12. The 90th-minute strike turned what had been a tightly contested pre-season friendly into a statement win for Nuno Espírito Santo’s side. For Leverkusen, it was an unwelcome way to end an otherwise spotless summer. The German club had entered the match unbeaten in pre-season, riding a wave of results that included a victory over Sevilla. A first meeting with a flair for the dramatic This was the inaugural encounter between Nottingham Forest and Bayer Leverkusen. Leverkusen confirmed the fixture back in July, setting up what was designed to be a final tune-up before the Bundesliga season kicks off. The French forward, who joined Forest in 2025, found himself in the right position at the right time as the clock ticked toward full time. His goal broke Leverkusen’s pre-season unbeaten run and gave Forest’s home fans at the City Ground something to celebrate heading into the new campaign. Kalimuendo’s steady rise at Forest Before arriving at the City Ground, the young striker spent time on loan at Eintracht Fran...