Joao Carvalho’s first goals since November 2019 proved sufficient for Nottingham Forest to see off Bradford 2-1 in the first round of the Carabao Cup.
The Portuguese midfielder, returning to Forest after spending last season on loan at Spanish second division side Almeria, bagged a first-half brace with Callum Cooke’s 54th-minute free kick failing to spark a comeback from the Bantams.
Carvalho was one of 10 changes made by home boss Chris Hughton following Sunday’s season-opening 2-1 defeat at Coventry.
Hughton also gave seven players their Forest debuts with 18-year-old Fin Back handed a first-ever senior outing.
Carvalho opened the scoring on 39 minutes with a composed first-time finish into Richard O’Donnell’s bottom-right corner from eight yards after on-loan Watford playmaker Philip Zinckernagel pulled the ball back from the right byline.
The pair then combined again to double the lead two minutes later.
This time, Zinckernagel floated a perfect cross to the far post that was taken in his stride by Carvalho before he again showed calmness to shoot across goal and find O’Donnell’s bottom-left corner from seven yards.
Bradford reduced the arrears nine minutes after the interval when American keeper Ethan Horvarth was beaten too easily inside his left-hand upright by Cooke’s curling 20-yard free kick.
But the visitors left Nottingham still without a win at the City Ground since 1934.
Forest defender Gaetan Bong missed the match following being suspended for three games after admitting a Football Association charge of violent conduct.
