Forest found themselves on the end of a 1-0 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in their fifth pre-season friendly on Sunday afternoon.
A second-half goal from Johan Bakayoko proved the difference in an otherwise quiet 90 minutes, as Forest’s preparations for the Premier League campaign continue.
Head Coach Steve Cooper made changes to the side which lost to Leeds United in midweek, with Morgan Gibbs-White and Ola Aina getting their first minutes of pre-season and Chris Wood starting for the first time too.
It was Gibbs-White who had Forest’s first sight of goal, driving a shot wide of the far post from 25 yards after finding space.
Down the other end, Patrick van Aanholt’s dangerous low cross evaded everyone, with Bakayoko and Luuk de Jong unable to get to the ball.
Gibbs-White had Forest’s best chance of the encounter midway through the first half, receiving the ball from Serge Aurier and curling an excellent first-time effort towards goal which had to be tipped over by Walter Benítez.
From the resulting corner, Gibbs-White’s dangerous delivery rattled the crossbar with Joe Worrall and Willy Boly both looking to pounce on the goalie.
PSV did find the net soon after, but Noa Lang’s goal was ruled out after the forward found himself offside before chipping Ethan Horvath.
Five minutes before the break, a neat exchange between Wood and Danilo resulted in the latter firing an effort from range just wide via a deflection.
Neco Williams replaced Aina at the break, before Gibbs-White, Ryan Yates, Wood and Orel Mangala made way for Cheikhou Kouyaté, Anthony Elanga, Remo Freuler and Hwang Ui-jo on the hour.
But on 66 minutes, Forest fell behind as Bakayoko fired in an unstoppable low effort into the bottom corner from 25 yards to put PSV ahead.
Moments later, Bakayoko forced Horvath into a smart save as he unleashed an effort across goal from close-range as PSV looked to double their lead.
The lively Bakayoko threatened again in the closing stages as he drove forward and fired wide across goal, after Josh Powell replaced Aurier at wing-back.
But Forest were unable to create any chances in the latter stages of the contest, with PSV running out winners at Philips Stadion.