Nottingham Forest successfully navigated a turbulent night at the City Ground to secure their place in the Round of 16. Despite a 2-1 defeat on the night to a spirited Fenerbahce side, the 3-0 cushion established in Istanbul proved enough to see Vitor Pereira’s side through 4-2 on aggregate.
The match was marred by early crowd trouble and a stuttering performance from a heavily rotated Forest side, but a crucial second-half strike from Callum Hudson-Odoi ultimately extinguished the Turkish side’s hopes of a historic comeback.
Key Moments: Flares and Fright
Fireworks at Kick-off
The match was delayed by three minutes almost immediately after kick-off. Sections of the traveling Fenerbahce support launched several flares and fireworks onto the pitch, forcing players to take evasive action. Order was only restored after Fenerbahce’s Archie Brown intervened to clear the pyrotechnics.
Akturkoglu’s Brace
Fenerbahce took full advantage of Forest’s sluggish start. Kerem Akturkoglu swept home a ruthless counter-attack in the 22nd minute to give the visitors hope. Early in the second half, the Turkish forward doubled his tally from the penalty spot after a foul in the box, bringing the aggregate score to a nervy 3-2. For real-time updates on similar fixtures, fans turned to .
The Hudson-Odoi Response
With the City Ground crowd growing restless, Vitor Pereira’s half-time substitutes paid off. In the 73rd minute, Ola Aina delivered a swinging cross that found on the left. He cut inside and hammered home his first European goal of the season, effectively ending the contest.
Historical Context & Stats
- Unwanted Record: Vitor Pereira becomes the second Forest manager this season to lose his first two home games. Detailed manager histories can be found via the .
- Fenerbahce Milestone: This was just Fenerbahce’s second-ever European away win in England. Comprehensive Turkish club statistics are available at .
- Home Struggles: Forest has now suffered two home defeats in a single major European season for the first time in their history. Deep dives into Forest’s European record are available at .
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