Nottingham Forest and Celtic Progress to Europa League Play Offs as Aston Villa Stage Comeback
Nottingham Forest advanced to the Europa League play off round following a convincing 4-0 victory against Ferencvaros on Thursday evening, with Celtic also booking their spot in the knockout stage after defeating Utrecht.
Aston Villa ended up in second position in the league phase, having come from two goals behind to defeat Red Bull Salzburg 3-2, even though their place in the last 16 was already confirmed.
Forest had a slim hope of breaking into the top eight before the final group matches, requiring a win over Robbie Keanes Ferencvaros side along with favourable outcomes elsewhere.
Sean Dyches team delivered on their part, as Igor Jesus netted twice for Forest, supplemented by an own goal from Ferencvaros defender Bence Otvos. James McAtee sealed the result with a late spot kick, yet this result left the Premier League outfit in 13th place overall.
"Various matches have not been straightforward, considering the fixture list, organisation, journeys and similar challenges. Emerging from a frustrating defeat in Braga (1-0 loss the previous week) to produce this performance, I am truly satisfied," Dyche shared with TNT Sports.
Forest, who have claimed the European Cup twice in their history, will discover their play off opponents on Friday. They are set to take on Fenerbahce or Panathinaikos across two ties next month, whereas Celtic, who triumphed 4-2 over bottom placed Utrecht after netting three goals within the opening 19 minutes at home in Glasgow, could face Stuttgart or Ferencvaros.
Benjamin Nygren opened the scoring for Celtic, followed by an unfortunate own goal from Utrecht skipper Nick Viergever. Arne Engels added a penalty as Celtic dominated proceedings, though Utrecht narrowed the gap to one goal before Auston Trustys header provided the Scottish side with additional comfort.
Youngster Secures Victory for Villa
Villa appeared destined for only their second European loss this season when Salzburg took a 2-0 lead in Birmingham courtesy of strikes from Karim Konate and Moussa Yeo.
Morgan Rogers pulled one back, and Tyrone Mings nodded in an equaliser for Villa, with 19 year old Jamaldeen Jimoh Aloba scoring his maiden senior goal to turn the match around for Unai Emerys squad.
"This marks a proud milestone for me on my European bow," Jimoh Aloba said to TNT Sports. "It feels wonderful to honour my family after all the effort put in. This season has brought plenty of setbacks and triumphs, but this stands out as exceptional."
Villa, currently third in the Premier League standings, will enjoy a short respite ahead of the last 16 ties, where potential opponents include Lille, PAOK, Red Star Belgrade or Celta Vigo.
Emery holds the record for Europa League triumphs with four successes as a coach, and Rogers feels this gives Villa a significant edge.
"He understands the path to navigating a tournament, particularly this competition. Having him steer us forward will prove invaluable," Rogers commented.
Lyon claimed top spot with seven victories in eight outings, rounding off the league phase with a 4-2 win against PAOK. A moments silence preceded the action to honour the seven Greek supporters who perished in a minibus crash in Romania on Tuesday.
Midtjylland, Real Betis, Porto, Braga, Freiburg and Roma secured positions in the top eight, guaranteeing straight entry into the last 16.
Rangers wrapped up a disappointing European run with a 3-1 reverse at Porto, marking their sixth loss in eight fixtures within the tournament.