By MICHAEL PAVITT, SPORTS REPORTER and PA SPORT STAFF
Published: 18:18 EDT, 17 September 2025 | Updated: 18:24 EDT, 17 September 2025
Ange Postecoglou accused his Nottingham Forest players of complacency after they suffered an embarrassing Carabao Cup exit at Swansea last night.
The former Tottenham boss could only watch on in horror as his side surrendered a two-goal half-time lead — courtesy of Igor Jesus’ double — and fluffed a host of big chances after the break to seal a place in the last 16.
Zan Vipotnik levelled for the Swans in the fourth minute of added time and three minutes later Cameron Burgess scored his second of the game as the 2013 winners advanced to the last 16.
It was a chastening evening for Postecoglou following the 3-0 defeat at Arsenal that started his reign.
‘It was a game we really should have killed off, long before it got to the stage it did,' Postecoglou told Sky Sports.
‘I sensed we were getting a bit comfortable and thought the game would finish off easily, but that is not what happened, that’s cup football.
Ange Postecoglou blamed complacency as his Nottingham Forest side lost 3-2 to Swansea
Cameron Burgess scored deep into stoppage time as Swansea came from 2-0 down to win
‘I thought we scored a good third goal which was disallowed and I think the lads got comfortable in that moment.
‘You know the warning signs, especially in cup football, if you let the opposition in there is always a chance they could do what they did to us.
‘I am frustrated we did not realise the danger that could have developed by not being more clinical in our football and killing off the opponent when we should have.
‘We don’t have time for philosophical views, there was an opportunity today to progress to the next round of the cup, we were in a great position. We should have seen it out and got through, that is the disappointing thing.’
Having seen his new troops end up on the wrong end of a 3-0 drubbing by Arsenal at the Emirates in his first game in charge last weekend, Postecoglou watched on as Jesus, the club's £10million summer signing, marked his first start with two first-half goals to put his side in charge.
The Brazil international was one of eight debutants thrown into the cup tie by Postecoglou and he had four more summer recruits on the bench. One of them, the £26m French Olympic star Arnaud Kalimuendo, replaced Jesus at half-time.
Swansea, unbeaten in their last six outings, enjoyed long periods of pressure in the first half and looked the most likely side to open the scoring.
But a touch of luck in the 15th minute allowed Jesus to showcase his sharp-shooting skills as he took full advantage of ricochet off a Swansea defender and goalkeeper Andy Fisher's knee to hammer home from a narrow angle.
The home side continue to press forward and Eom Ji-sung fired inches wide from 25 yards.
Igor Jesus scored twice to put Nottingham Forest 2-0 up before the hosts fought back
The Swansea fans thought they should have had a penalty on the half-hour mark when Willy Boly shoved Malick Yalcouye in the box. It was not given and their hopes of getting back on level terms were then dealt a killer blow just as the first half went into added time.
James McAtee, who arrived in the summer for £30m from Manchester City, was twice involved in a sweeping move which began deep in Forest territory. It was a McAtee cross from the right which was met by Omari Hutchinson at the far post and he simply turned the ball back across goal for Jesus to strike again.
Kalimuendo had a third Forest goal ruled out for offside and McAtee was guilty of blasting over from six yards, while Callum Hudson-Odoi also had a shot brilliantly saved by Fisher.
But Swansea came storming back as Burgess headed home the first from a corner and then Vipotnik made it five goals in five games when he speared a Liam Cullen cross past John Victor before acting skipper Burgess, who joined from Ipswich in the summer, smashed home the dramatic winner.
Forest, four-time winners of the competition, gave away a needless throw-in and then conceded a corner with one of the six minutes of added time left.
The ball was cleared to Ethan Galbraith 20 yards out and his shot hit the crossbar before rebounding to Burgess on the edge of the area and he lashed an unstoppable left-footed volley into the back of the net to clinch a famous victory.