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Nottingham Forest win on penalties to reach Europa League quarter-final

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Nottingham Forest are through to the last-eight of the competition - Bo Amstrup/Shutterstock

So much for Nottingham Forest’s apparent indifference to European football. On a bracing night in Denmark, Forest relished a break from the toil of trying to maintain their Premier League status, delivering a commanding performance in Midtjylland to advance to the last eight of the Europa League.

Needing to overcome a 1-0 first leg deficit, Forest’s stand-ins produced a performance of control and composure, defying Midtjylland’s physical style and a rickety pitch. But after Nicolas Dominguez’s header, and a sumptuous 25-yard strike from captain Ryan Yates, had given the visitors a 2-0 lead on the night, Martin Erlic scrambled Midtjylland level on aggregate.

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And so penalties would decide the tie. Morgan Gibbs-White, one of the phalanx of Forest stars who did not make the starting XI, tucked away the opening penalty, to the goalkeeper’s right.

That was more than any Midtjylland player was capable of managing in return. Goalkeeper Stefan Ortega did not even have to move to keep any of Midtjylland’s three penalties out. Instead, Gue-Sung Cho and Aral Simsi hit the post, before Edward Chilufya slipped and skied his penalty high.

The joy of Forest’s players, and their vocal away supporters alike, attested to what this victory meant.

With Sunday’s fixture away to Tottenham Hotspur in mind, Vítor Pereira made nine changes. If his team selection hinted at a lack of ambition, Forest’s players acted otherwise.

In the circumstances, extra time might have been the scenario that Pereira desired least. Yet, for all the understandable focus upon preserving Premier League status, there was glory to be won in Denmark too.

For the first time since 1996, Forest qualify for the quarter-finals of a European competition. Should Forest go on to win the Europa League, they will then earn qualification for next season’s Champions League. For Forest, such an outcome would be at least as transformative as relegation would be.

More to follow...

08:30pm

Chilufya slips and misses! Forest win the shoot-out 3-0

Midtjylland with one of the worst penalty shoot-out performances you will ever see: two hit the post, and then Chilufya slips and spoons his spot-kick well over the bar. Presumably they only practise non-penalty set-pieces.

Forest kept their heads and deserve to go through to the quarter-finals.

08:28pm

Williams scores! (Midtjylland 0 Forest 3, pens)

Sends the goalkeeper the wrong way and slams a shot into the top corner. Fantastic penalty.

Chilufya must score to keep Midtjylland in it.

08:28pm

Simsir misses! (Midtjylland 0 Forest 2, pens)

He hits the same post as Cho, that is a lucky charm for Forest. 

Williams to take Forest’s third penalty. This goes in and they are heavily odds-on to win the shoot-out.

08:27pm

Sangare scores! (Midtjylland 0 Forest 2, pens)

Great penalty, picks out the top corner. Those are unsaveble, and now the pressure piles on to Midtjylland’s Simsir.

08:25pm

Cho misses! (Midtjylland 0 Forest 1, pens)

Midtjylland’s South Korean striker drags his shot against the post, having sent Ortega the wrong way. Nearly a great penalty, but not nearly enough.

Sangare to take Forest’s next one, to put them two up in the shoot-out.

08:24pm

Gibbs-White scores! (Midtjylland 0 Forest 1, pens)

Goes with power to the goalkeeper’s right, and there is enough venom behind it to creep into the side-netting.

08:23pm

Nottingham Forest are going to take the first one

It will be at Midtjylland’s end, though. Morgan Gibbs-White to take the opener for Forest.

08:19pm

We are going to penalties...

That is that. Forest must now pick their five takers, but a chance for Ortega to be the hero.

Surely Lucca cannot take one, he looks shattered.

08:19pm

122 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Tentative appeals for a Forest penalty at the back post, Williams claiming he was dragged down. Not enough it.

08:18pm

120 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Just two minutes for Forest to find a goal, or they are heading to penalties.

08:16pm

118 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Ryan Yates thought he had sent Forest through to the quarter-finals, but the flag goes up for offside! Yates protests, but the first replay suggests he may have just strayed. But the TV angle can be misleading. VAR checking, and the lines will be coming out for this one.

Confirmed: no goal. Yates’ shoulder in front of the last defender. Good decision by the linesman, it must be said.

08:12pm

115 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Anderson wins a free-kick with Midtjylland penalised for handball, but Forest send the delivery straight into the goalkeeper’s gloves.

08:10pm

112 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

The game is devoid of quality at the moment. Not many of Forest’s players have played the entire match, but they look quite leggy.

08:07pm

109 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Sanagre was introduced before extra time but has not managed to influence things. Lucca almost gets in behind after wrestling with the defender but he runs out of puff.

08:05pm

107 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Yates is down and receiving from treatment on a sore foot. I think he will be able to continue. He might be a candidate to take a penalty if it carries on like this.

08:02pm

We’re back under way in the second half of extra-time

Will Forest make one final push to win it?

08:01pm

HT in ET: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

A very uneventful 15 minutes of football, save for Lucca’s offside goal in the first minute.

07:58pm

105 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Williams gets a knee in the small of the back from Midtjylland substitute Gabriel but he is fit to continue. There will only be one minute of added time.

07:56pm

101 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Erlic shown a yellow card for a foul on Forest’s striker Lucca. The game is in a quagmire now, Elliott Anderson needs to get a grip of it.

07:53pm

99 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Olafsson’s handling of crosses in Midtjylland’s goal has been good, Forest looking short of ideas at the moment. 

07:51pm

97 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

The last few minutes of the game have been quite evenly-matched, but Forest are now the team probing. Anderson gets himself in a tangle with Bravo and comes off second-best. Yates shoot over with his left foot from a tight angle.

07:48pm

93 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Murillo booked for a foul on the lively Castillo. Then the Forest striker Lucca shows great skill with a backheel, and then finds Aina, but the full-back’s cross was aimless.

07:45pm

91 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Forest have the ball in the net but the flag goes up for offside. Aina was the outlet again, and he picked out Lucca in the middle, who took a touch and found the bottom corner. He was well offside though, even if he was pushed into that position.

07:44pm

Extra time is under way!

Midtjylland get the first period of extra time started.

07:38pm

FT: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

A very entertaining second leg, but Forest will feel they have let that slip after a dominant performance for long periods. Another 30 minutes on the way, but at least Pereira made changes from the start.

07:36pm

93 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Aina breaks into the box, and looks for Gibbs-White in the middle, but the cross is deflected behind for a corner. Really good catch from Olaffson with Aina throwing himself at it.

07:35pm

92 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Aina’s long throw is cleared but Forest keep the ball in the home team’s half, but then Gibbs-White’s ambitious pass runs through to the goalkeeper.

07:34pm

90 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Just four minutes of added time to play. Aina is going to send in a long throw.

07:32pm

90 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Murillo done for pace by Castillo, but the forward goes down too easily in the box looking for a penalty. Midtjylland have a corner. Dreadful delivery.

07:31pm

88 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Can either side find the winner and avert an extra 30 minutes? It is the last thing Forest need, but the visitors do now have a free-kick. The referee finds his whistle, and books Bravo for pulling down Yates. Anderson will clip into the box.... Gibbs-White glances on, but Morata could not quite get there.

07:29pm

85 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Midtjylland finishing with a flourish now, and they have a corner after Neco Williams blocks an Osario cross.

But they try and a short one and mess it up horribly and Forest are away!

Gibbs-White did well to bide his time and pick out the run of Aina who never looked that convincing, and the goalkeeper tipped his shot over the bar.

Gibbs-White has made a real impact already. That was a stunning run from him: intercepting the short corner, running half the length of the field and then setting up Aina, whose shot was parried away for a corner. 

07:26pm

82 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

The referee is allowing plenty of physical contact, Simsir was surely tripped by Murillo but play on is the call. Murillo with another foray forward, Williams wins a throw-in, but the attempted long one is straight into the goalkeeper’s gloves.

07:24pm

80 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Elliott Anderson surely dragged down at the edge of the box, but the referee does not any decision at all. Midtjylland break forward, and Castillo gets his body in front of Morato. Delivers a threatening cross which deflects across the box, and Ortega made a smothering save at the back post. End to end stuff.

07:22pm

78 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Neco Williams fails to pick out a white shirt from a promising crossing position, but them Murillo starts a counter-attack by driving out with the ball and picking out Gibbs-White with a lovely pass. He tried to chop inside and shoot, but not enough power to trouble the goalkeeper.

07:20pm

76 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Much made about the changes Pereira made before the game and the strength of Forest’s substitutes, but they have not really improved since making the changes. Aina is fouled inside Forest’s own half.

07:18pm

74 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Pereira making another couple of changes: Bakwa and McAtee off, Aina and Anderson on.

Vítor Pereira will not want extra time. Will Forest attack and try to win – even if it means risking defeat – in the 90 minutes?

07:15pm

71 minutes: Midtjylland 1 Forest 2 (Agg: 2-2)

Forest have been so dominant for so long, but they could be in for a rocky finish now. Attack is the best form of defence against a team who threaten from long throws.

07:12pm

GOOOAALL! Erlic with a goal from nowhere (Agg: 2-2)

From the long throw, Midtjylland sustained the attack and Osario’s cross from the left was a dangerous one. Initial header was blocked, but the ball bounced down the for the centre-back Erlic to blast a volley into the roof of the net. Fine finish and anyone’s tie now.

07:11pm

68 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 2 (Agg: 1-2)

The pitch has been quite bobbly all night, and Ortega was not thankful for a dribbled backpass from Bakwa. Sliced out for a Midtjylland throw-in, but it could have been worse. Bech delivers the long throw, but Forest defend the first ball.

07:07pm

64 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 2 (Agg: 1-2)

Good work from the always tireless Neco Williams to chase a lost cause and win Forest a corner. Comes to nothing, but Forest are still playing on the front foot. 

07:04pm

62 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 2 (Agg: 1-2)

Peiera making a triple substitution: Murillo, Gibbs-White and Williams are on, replacing Milenkovic, Hutchinson and Ndoye. Forest’s first-choice centre-backs sharing the minutes between them with Sunday in mind.

07:03pm

60 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 2 (Agg: 1-2)

Midtjylland starting to ask a few more questions now. A long throw causes problems, and then Morato wins an important header at the back post from a Sinsir cross. The half-time substitute has been lively for the home team.

07:00pm

56 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 2 (Agg: 1-2)

Hutchinson in a promising position, but both his pass and Lucca’s touch was poor. The space is there for Forest to score the third goal that could this tie to bed. A McAtee shot deflects behind for a corner.

06:58pm

54 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 2 (Agg: 1-2)

An eventful few minutes since Yates’ goal. Midtjylland rightly annoyed that they did not win a free-kick at the edge of the Forest box, before Forest broke away with Hutchinson and he went down hoping for a penalty.

06:56pm

GOOOAALLL! Yates with a screamer

What a moment for the Forest captain, who is not renowned for his goalscoring prowess. For the first time in the tie, Forest lead. Yates has threatened all game, but it was hard to see this one coming: 25 yards out, on his weaker left foot and losing his balance, but it was a sweet hit into the corner.

A goal worthy of a spot in a European quarter-final from Ryan Yates. What a performance this has been from a supposedly under-strength Nottingham Forest.

06:55pm

51 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 1 (Agg: 1-1)

Brumado booked for a foul on Milenkovic, and he will not miss the quarter-final first leg should the Danish side progress.

06:52pm

47 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 1 (Agg: 1-1)

Midtjylland can surely only improve on their first-half efforts, and they have had an early sighter with a strike from distance over the bar.

Forest then create more danger after poor defending from centre-back Erlic. Hutchinson whips a ball across the area but Yates was always stretching. The Forest stalwart has made plenty of forward runs from midfield tonight.

06:49pm

We’re back under way!

Midtjylland get the second half started.

06:49pm

Midtjylland making half-time changes

Lee is on for Byskov, and Simsir replaces Billing. An unhappy reunion with Premier League oppositions for Billing.

06:40pm

Pereira’s conundrum

An outstanding first half for Nottingham Forest. That Nicolas Dominguez header, to level the tie 1-1, was well-deserved. Will we see Morgan Gibbs-White and co in the second half? 

06:34pm

HT: Midtjylland 0 Forest 1 (Agg: 1-1)

A dominant first 45 minutes from Pereira’s team, and if he wants to turn the screw by bringing the big guns on you sense the quarter-finals are within reach. Much like Spurs last night, this could prove a useful exercise despite that league game weighing on supporters’ minds.

06:31pm

45 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 1 (Agg: 1-1)

Midtjylland struggling to do the basics well, losing the ball in dangerous positions. So easy for Forest, but Hutchinson’s low shot from a tight angle is saved by the goalkeeper. Just one minute of added time.

06:30pm

43 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 1 (Agg: 1-1)

Forest and Pereira will be delighted with this first half. Their heavily rotated team have grown into it and slowly started to sink their teeth into Midtjylland, who have not managed a shot on goal. Forest still have their big guns to introduce as the game progresses.

06:27pm

GOOOOAALLL! Dominguez puts Forest on level terms in the tie

That is a thoroughly well-deserved goal, and Midtjylland have been shaky from corners all night. Forest worked this one short, clipping the ball to the back post where Milenkovic was too strong for his marker, and Dominguez won the second contact, looping a header into the corner.

06:26pm

39 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 0 (Agg: 1-0)

Heart in mouth moment for Forest fans with Ortega sweeping up outside of his area. The goalkeeper took a touch, and Osoria blocked the clearance but the ball squirted away from Ortega to clear at the second attempt. 

Bakwa with a shot from distance over the bar for Forest. Then McAtee shoots with his left foot and Olafsoon pushes it wide of the far post.

06:23pm

36 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 0 (Agg: 1-0)

Midtjylland’s manager Mike Tullberg has seen enough after that flurry of Forest pressure; two first-half changes are being prepared on the touchline.

Midtjylland threaten from a long throw when Diao flicks on at the near post but Forest clear. 

06:19pm

32 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 0 (Agg: 1-0)

Forest with another promising attacking moment. Hutchinson clips in an inswinging cross from the right, and Yates glances a header just wide of the far post. The knocking on the door grows louder.

06:18pm

30 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 0 (Agg: 1-0)

Forest threaten from another corner, Bakwa with the delivery again. An inswinger to the back post which took the goalkeeper out of the equation, but the header down bounced off shins and then off the line by Billing!

Then Lucca misses a glorious chance, shanking over from a Milenkovic knock-down after the big defender stayed up following the corner.

Forest really should be level in the tie, at least.

06:13pm

26 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 0 (Agg: 1-0)

Forest come through unscathed after Midtjylland keep a free-kick alive and send the ball back into the box. You can see the similarities with Brentford.

At the other end, Ryan Yates hits the bar! The chance was carved out by James McAtee with a turn and chipped pass over the top, and Yates almost got over a left-footed volley but it clipped the top of the bar.

06:08pm

23 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 0 (Agg: 1-0)

Good football again from Forest, Hutchinson with a backheel from the left touchline and a neat one-two from Lucca to get into the penalty area. His side-foot shot was too close to the goalkeeper but Forest have another corner. Cleared at the near post.

Nottingham Forest looking a lot more dangerous from open play then set pieces: unsurprisingly enough, given Midtjylland’s prowess in dead ball situations. But a positive enough start for Forest, with Lorenzo Lucca a persistent threat.

06:07pm

21 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 0 (Agg: 1-0)

Forest getting on top now and showing their quality. Their back-up goalkeeper Ortega picked out McAtee with a midfield-splitting pass. Once and Man City goalkeeper, always a Man City goalkeeper. Ndoye’s delivery is poor though after McAtee drew a foul.

06:05pm

18 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 0 (Agg: 1-0)

Forest threaten from a set-piece: cracking corner delivery from the left foot of Bakwa, and Milenkovic looked poised to head the ball home. Did not make good enough contact, and the ball bounced off Yates straight to the goalkeeper. That would have been a turn up had Midtjylland been undone from a set-piece.

06:02pm

16 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 0 (Agg: 1-0)

Forest’s best move of the match so far comes from their right side, with Abbott feeding Ndoye who carried the ball into the penalty area, but it was diligent defending from Bravo to deny him a strike at goal.

06:00pm

13 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 0 (Agg: 1-0)

Lucca battling well for Forest up front, allowing his team-mates to move up the pitch and support him. Early days, but this already has the feel of a game in which there will not be many goals. No great incentive for Midtjylland to push forward, and Forest searching for cohesion with a second-string side.

05:56pm

10 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 0 (Agg: 1-0)

Right wing-back Castillo with a burst down that flank, and his blocked cross wins the home team a corner. Here come one of those famous set-pieces... they tried to stand one up for a back post volley but the referee had already blown up for a foul in the six-yard box.

05:54pm

7 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 0 (Agg: 1-0)

Midtjylland forward Osorio penalised for a high foot, his boot caught Milenkovic on the chin as the Forest defender stooped to head a ball clear. The home team are quickly back in possession of the ball and look to have settled in the game now.

Dario Osorio penalised for a high boot - Bo Amstrup/Getty Images05:51pm

5 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 0 (Agg: 1-0)

Forest’s centre-forward Lucca is penalised for handball, somewhat harshly. It looked like the ball bounced off the top of his shoulder.

Nice hold up play from Midtjylland forward Júnior Brumado to help the home team enjoy some more possession. It breaks down with a poor kick from goalkeeper Olaffson.

05:49pm

2 minutes: Midtjylland 0 Forest 0 (Agg: 1-0)

Joe Hart’s enthusiasm for every game he covers is quite endearing; he is the anti-Mark Lawrenson. 

Forest with an early foray forward, picking out Hutchinson’s run in behind the home team’s defence. He lays the ball off for Bakwa to shoot with his left foot from an improbable angle and his shot was always rising.

05:46pm

KICK OFF!

Forest get the game started and look to gain early territory by kicking long.

05:44pm

The teams are out

A familiar face for Premier League fans in the Midtjylland midfield: former Huddersfield Town and Bournemouth player Phil Billing.

05:18pm

Ola Aina speaking to BBC

I don’t know what’s going on at home, but hopefully we can get the goals that we need to progress in this tournament.

We’ll keep it tight at the back and hopefully bang in some goals.

We have the quality in the team, it’s just getting it to click and maybe having a bit of luck.

05:07pm

Midtjylland’s form

They lost against Nordsjælland at the weekend, their first home defeat of the season. Their top goalscorer is Guinea-Bissau striker Franculino Djú, who has 16 goals in the Danish league and three in the Europa League.

04:57pm

Midtjylland team and subs

Midtjylland XI: Olafsson, Erlic, Bech, Diao, Bak, Byskov, Castillo, Bravo, Billing, Osorio, Brumado

Subs: Lossl, Ugboh, Lee, Gabiel, Ze, Cho, Gogorza, Chilufya, Uhre, Emefile, Simsir

04:50pm

Nine changes for Forest

Forest starting XI: Ortega, Abbott, Milenkovic, Morato, Hutchinson, Dominguez, Yates, Ndoye, McAtee, Bakwa, Lucca

Subs: Sels, Willows, Williams, Murillo, Sangare, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Jesus, Aina, Whitehall, Sinclair, Hanks

Vitor Pereira has made his priorities clear with nine changes to his team from the goalless draw with Fulham. I imagine any Spurs fans tuning in will roll their eyes. The heart of the team is missing with Sangare, Anderson and Gibbs-White on the bench.

04:33pm

Nottingham Forest team news: More than an eye on Spurs

04:31pm

Set-piece kings Midtjylland a more extreme version of Arsenal

Is that what the set-piece revolution is all about? There is a certain democracy to the direct game – perhaps the most unapologetic response to a deficit in player quality that football has to offer. Midtjylland are just a much more dead ball-focused version of Arsenal. While Mikel Arteta added the set-piece element as a bolt-on to his team’s repertoire, Midtjylland are the purest distillation of it. Perhaps eventually it always takes over as the dominant force.

04:18pm

Premier League peril detracts from Forest’s European tour

It is a shame for Nottingham Forest supporters that they have not been able to fully enjoy the possibilities of a first European campaign in a generation because of an ongoing fight against relegation.

Forest will need to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Danish club Midtjylland and reach the Europa League quarter-finals, but a pivotal domestic fixture at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday looms.

Forest are above West Ham United and the relegation zone on goal difference, and one point behind Spurs. Vitor Pereira, appointed as Forest’s head coach following Sean Dyche’s departure, played down the possibility of wholesale changes.

He said: “We are in a moment where we need to be united. I cannot have players for one game and other players for another game.

“They worked a lot to be here [in the Europa League]. We need them for tomorrow. We need to see the team united and everyone in condition to help.

“We don’t have a big squad. It means it is important we feel we are together in this game, trying to get the result to qualify. We are committed together.”

Forest relied on Chris Wood’s goals last season but the 34-year-old has been out since October with a knee injury.

He was pictured back in training this week and could make a return sooner rather than later, although tonight’s game will come too soon for him.

The Premier League side had plenty of territory and efforts on goal against Midtjylland at the City Ground Cho Gue-song’s late header.

Midtjylland was formerly owned by Matthew Benham, of Brentford fame, and were used as a guinea pig for the professional gambler’s algorithmic approach to the game before he took the leap of buying Brentford. In keeping with that strategy, the Danish club were also pioneers in maximising set-pieces through their data-led approach.

Full team news on the way shortly.

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