Europa League: Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa Battle Their Way Into QF

Europa League: Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa battle their way into QF (Image Source: IANS)

UEFA Europa League Round: Nottingham Forest overcame Danish outfit FC Midtjylland in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, winning 3-0 on penalties after a 2-1 victory at the MCH Arena to turn the tie around following their 1-0 success at the City Ground in the first leg.

After the contest finished 2-2 over the two legs, Forest maintained a 100 per cent record from the penalty spot while the home side missed their efforts to secure the Reds' progress.

Forest started on the front foot with Dilane Bakwa driving the ball just over the bar in the early exchanges before Yates was denied by Elías Ólafsson from close range from a Bakwa corner.

With the pressure constant from the Reds, Lorenzo Lucca was kept out by Ólafsson as the first half entered the halfway point.

The chances began to heat up for Forest, with Yates clipping the crossbar before Morato was denied by Philip Billing on the line. Lucca then fired over the bar when well-positioned just after the half-hour mark.

With the pressure non-stop from the Reds, Yates cutely headed the ball just wide from Omari Hutchinson’s cross soon after. As the first half drew to a close, McAtee brought another save out of Olafsson from range.

With four minutes remaining of the opening 45, the Reds had the breakthrough their play in the first half deserved through Dominguez. Nikola Milenkovic headed the ball into the Argentinian midfielder’s path to loop the ball into the net, to send Forest ahead and level in the tie.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa progressed to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League courtesy of a 2-0 second leg victory over LOSC Lille, sealing a 3-0 aggregate success.

Captain John McGinn’s low strike in the 54th minute opened the scoring at Villa Park, converting Jadon Sancho’s ball across the box having been sent clear by a superb throughball from Emi Martinez, who quickly set the hosts on the counter-attack after saving well from Nabil Bentaleb’s fierce free-kick.

McGinn’s goal was his ninth for Villa in major European competition, equalling Peter Withe’s club record.

Sancho struck a post in the second half before substitute Leon Bailey, 99 seconds after stepping off the bench, registered his maiden Villa goal of the season late on to settle the Round of 16 tie.

McGinn’s goal was his ninth for Villa in major European competition, equalling Peter Withe’s club record.

The Villans’ seventh consecutive Europa League victory sets up a meeting with either AS Roma or Bologna in the last eight next month.

Article Source: IANS