Sean Dyche made seven changes to the Nottingham Forest XI from Saturday's draw against Arsenal, and much like the last time he made multiple changes – in their FA Cup exit at Wrexham – those brought in did little to boost their chance of more regular minutes.
While the conditions did not help, the first 45 minutes were among the most forgettable of the season with Braga showing next to no ambition to attack and Forest unable to cause them any problems going the other way.
The game livened up somewhat after the break but Morgan Gibbs-White failed to convert his penalty – his second failure from the spot in the Europa League this season – and Braga, with a bit of good fortune, immediately provided the sucker punch.
Forest's defending left a lot to be desired, and once Ryan Yates' own goal gave Braga the lead, the hosts were more than happy to defend it.
For all Forest pushed for a leveller, it was Braga who came closest to finding the game's second goal when substitute Pau Victor hit the inside of the post.
Elliot Anderson, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Neco Williams were sent on to try to rectify the situation but, although there was added urgency in their play, the goal would not come.
Yates had a goalbound header kept out by a last-ditch block, while on another day Ndoye might have earned Forest a second penalty after a careless challenge from former Wolves midfielder Joao Moutinho.
But, ultimately, the English side did not do enough and face Ferencvaros at the City Ground next week needing to win and hope for the most unlikely sequence of results if they are to avoid the play-offs.
