Nottm Forest Vs Fenerbahçe: nottm forest vs fenerbahçe ends 1-2 at City Ground as Forest seal last-16 (Agg 4-2)
nottm forest vs fenerbahçe ended 1-2 in the second leg at the City Ground, but Nottingham Forest progressed 4-2 on aggregate to reach the Europa League last 16 after a 3-0 first-leg win in Istanbul.
Early blow and fireworks delay
Fenerbahce opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when Kerem Akturkoglu swept home a ruthless break to hand the visitors a lifeline. The match was delayed for three minutes moments after kickoff when sections of a 1, 500-strong away end launched several fireworks onto the pitch into the Forest penalty area. Jair Cunha had to take evasive action as he had his back to them, and Neco Williams also had to duck as he tried to carry one away. Fenerbahce's Archie Brown intervened and carried some of the pyrotechnics off the pitch while urging calm from his side’s fans.
First leg cushion and rotation
Vitor Pereira had the luxury of rotation for the knockout play-off tie after his side had already won 3-0 in Istanbul last week. That first-leg rout effectively put one Forest foot into the last 16, but the difference in performances between the two legs could not have been more vast. Forest were described as the architects of their own difficulties, making a seemingly simple task monumentally harder.
Half-time changes and VAR penalty
After 45 minutes with no shots on target, high turnovers and losing duels, Pereira made four half-time changes, bringing on Callum Hudson-Odoi, Igor Jesus, Ola Aina and Ibrahim Sangare. Seconds into the second half, Jair Cunha stuck a foot out to catch Akturkoglu and, after a VAR check, the on-field decision stood and a penalty was awarded. Akturkoglu stepped up and easily slotted home his second of the evening to make it 3-2 on aggregate from the spot after being fouled in the box by Jair Cunha.
Hudson-Odoi response and relief
The substitutes soon worked their magic. Ola Aina swung a cross that found Callum Hudson-Odoi on the left of the area; Hudson-Odoi sped past his defender and hammered home his first European goal of the season into the far corner. His 68th-minute goal calmed the home crowd and restored Forest’s two-goal aggregate advantage.
Aggregate outcome and next opponents
Despite the 2-1 defeat at the City Ground in Thursday's second leg, Nottingham Forest won 4-2 on aggregate and sealed their place in the draw for Friday's last-16. They will face either Real Betis or FC Midtjylland in the next round. Forest previously played both in the league phase: they lost at home to Midtjylland and earned a draw against Betis, both under Ange Postecoglou.
Manager assessment and context
Nottingham Forest head coach Vitor Pereira acknowledged the difficulty of his team selection and recovery plans, saying: "When you change half of a team, it's not easy to keep the level, that's my responsibility because we have an important game in three days. By my decision, I try to manage the next game and recover some players. It's not easy. It will change a lot. "We are in the moment of the season that we need to think not about one game, but about two games, about the next game. It was a risk because I decided to make six changes in the team. If you have one or two changes the players can be in the middle".
Other European results and Palace progress
Forest’s progression came alongside other English clubs advancing in Europe. Crystal Palace also progressed on Thursday, winning 2-0 in the second leg to go through; Maxence Lacroix opened the scoring at Selhurst Park to put Palace 2-1 up on aggregate and January signing Evann Guessand sealed a 3-1 aggregate win. Last week Palace supporters were calling for Oliver Glasner’s head after a 1-1 Europa Conference League play-off draw against Bosnian minnows Zrinjski Mostar, but this week they advanced despite an underwhelming second-leg showing. Palace are seen as one of the favourites in the Conference League and will face either Mainz or AEK Larnaca in the next round.
Scottish champions exit
Elsewhere in Europe, Celtic won 1-0 in Stuttgart on Thursday but were eliminated from the Europa League after losing 4-1 at home in the first leg.
Forest’s tie under Vitor Pereira — a 3-0 first-leg win in Istanbul followed by a 2-1 home defeat — finished 4-2 on aggregate, with Kerem Akturkoglu scoring twice for Fenerbahce and Callum Hudson-Odoi replying for Nottingham Forest.
