FC Midtjylland (H) Europa League Round of 16 12/03/26

Nottingham Forest 0-1 FC Midtjylland 

                                                               Cho 80'

To book their place into the round of 16, Forest overcame Fenerbahce 4-2 on aggregate in the playoff round. Midtjylland automatically qualified in third after accumulating 19 points in the league phase. In this phase, these two sides faced each other. The visitors came out on top 3-2 in a dramatic encounter back in October. Could Forest get revenge or would Midtjylland edge it again? 

Forest’s recent form shows why they are struggling so much domestically. They are currently on a winless run that was extended to four games in their last Premier League fixture. However, this was a more positive result and performance as they came from behind twice to take a 2-2 draw away from the Etihad. This game was eight days ago, allowing some vital rest for Vitor Pereira’s players. He did make three changes as Morato, Hudson-Odoi and Hutchinson were in from the start. Midtjylland couldn’t be more contrasting from the Reds. In the Danish Superliga, they are unbeaten in five and they beat title rivals Aarhus 2-1 over two legs to book their spot in the Danish Cup final. Mike Tullberg made two changes from this second leg. Forest will be relieved top scorer Franculino is sidelined through a knee injury after his record of 16 goals in 17 Superliga games. Pereira would be hoping to win his first game at the City Ground whilst Midtjylland would want to make a name for themselves in their first ever European knockout game. 

The first action of the game saw Murillo start this fixture as he ended the last in Manchester. Olafsson’s long ball forward wasn’t dealt with by Morato on the right, allowing Billing to pick up the ball. He managed to shrug off Morato and get to the byline before lofting a cross into the six yard box. Brumado met it in the middle with a header which looked to be nestling in the bottom right corner but Murillo was there to clear it off the line. 

It was difficult to say which side was on top but Forest were the team with the next big opportunity. From just inside his own half, Aina took a throw-in aimed towards Jesus. With brilliant skill, the Brazilian backheeled it to Hutchinson. He cut inside from the right and drove towards goal. No Midtjylland player came out to engage him so he let fly from 25 yards. The strike was heading towards the top right corner but Olafsson got across to make the save. 

As the half drew to a close, it was the hosts that took control. After his suberb goal against Man City, Elliot Anderson was hoping for another outside the box finish. Hudson-Odoi broke down the right but Mbabu was tight to him, forcing the winger to turn back and pass to Gibbs-White in the top corner of the box. Forest’s skipper on the night saw Anderson was in more space to the side to him so he played the ball across. Anderson took a touch before shooting from 30 yards, looking for the top left corner. Once again, Olafsson was equal to the shot, tipping it over the bar. From the resulting corner whipped in by Hutchinson on the right, Jesus got there first with his header. It looped up into the air and with Olafsson coming off his line thinking he could cut out the original delivery, Jesus might’ve thought he was heading Forest in front. Unfortunately for him, Billing was there to head it off the line. 

Forest continued their dominace and push for a lead going into the break, coming very close in the dying minutes of the first half. Sels fired a long goal kick forward which was won by his teammates deep into the Midtjylland half. The ball ended up at the feet of Hutchinson who drove to the left of the box. His angle was too tight to get a shot off so he passed back to Gibbs-White in space from the penalty spot. He took the finish first time but Bech was there to make a crucial block and send it just wide of the left post. 

The hosts came out in the second half, flying out the blocks. Williams and Hudson-Odoi linked up down the left before the latter pulled the ball back to the edge of the box. Dominguez ran onto the ball, taking on the shot but it curled just past the right post. 

The rain started to hammer down on the City Ground but that wasn’t stopping the players; they were still right up for it. Byskov picked up the ball from 30 yards and saw the space open up for the shot so he took it on. The effort was low but it bounced up right in front of Sels so the ‘keeper did well to parry it behind for a corner. Forest struggled to deal with the resulting corner and it landed to Byskov on the edge of box.  He took a touch before firing towards goal but he was denied by the crossbar. 

Forest kept pushing for an opening, one that would give them more confidence heading to Herning next week. They were getting into good areas but the story was the same as recent weeks: the final bit of quality was lacking. This had come to haunt them as they undeservedly found themselves behind. Space opened up for Diao to put a cross in from the left which is exactly what he did. Aina let Cho peel off him to get his head to the ball first and head into the bottom right corner. When you’ve been on top the whole game, that is such a poor goal to concede. 

The hosts had nothing to offer as the game drew to a close so Midtyjlland take a 1-0 lead to the MCH Arena. Forest will have work to do in Denmark as their opponents are yet to be beaten at home this season in all competitions. It is still all to play for to decide who will face Porto or Stuttgart in the quarter-finals. 

We had 22 shots compared to their 6 which just shows how on top we were. We have so much attacking talent and for some reason we just can’t seem to find the net at the moment. That is even more frustrating when we have conceded that type of goal. It is such poor defending from Aina and he has cost us the game there. The tie isn’t over yet but it will be difficult to turn it around. 

Forest: Sels; Morato (Williams 46’), Murillo, Cunha (Milenkovic 9’); Hudson-Odoi, Anderson, Dominguez (Sangare 69’), Aina (Bakwa 82’); Gibbs-White, Hutchinson; Jesus (Lucca 69’) 

FC Midtjylland: Olafsson; Bech, Erlic, Diao; Bak, Bravo, Billing, Mbabu (Lee 59’); Simsir (Cho 57’), Castillo (Byskov 46’); Brumado (Uhre 57’)