Nottingham Forest delivered a dominant performance to crush Ferencvaros 4-0 at the City Ground, with Brazilian striker Igor Jesus scoring twice to continue his remarkable Europa League campaign.
The victory in front of 26,304 fans secured Forest's place in the knockout playoff round, though results elsewhere meant Sean Dyche's side narrowly missed out on a top-eight finish that would have guaranteed direct passage to the Round of 16.
Ferencvaros started brightly and nearly took the lead when Kristoffer Zachariassen's header from a cross struck the woodwork. However, that would prove to be as close as the Hungarian side came to troubling the Forest goal.
The breakthrough arrived in the 17th minute through unfortunate circumstances for the visitors. Ryan Yates whipped a low cross into the area, and Ferencvaros defender Bence Ötvös could only guide it into his own net under pressure.
Just five minutes later, Igor Jesus doubled the advantage in stunning fashion. The Brazilian won possession in the Ferencvaros half before driving towards goal and finding the far corner with a deflected strike from the edge of the area. It was a goal that showcased his power and determination.
Forest had to wait until the 55th minute to extend their lead further. Jesus grabbed his second of the evening, latching onto Ibrahim Sangaré's incisive ball over the top and powering a fine finish into the bottom corner. The striker now has six goals in six Europa League appearances this season.
James McAtee completed the rout from the penalty spot in the 90th minute, securing his first goal for the club since his loan move. Forest dominated throughout, finishing with 55.4 percent possession and 20 shot attempts compared to Ferencvaros's nine.
The commanding win guarantees Forest home advantage in the second leg of their upcoming playoff tie. They will face either Panathinaikos or Fenerbahce, with the draw taking place on Friday. New signing Lorenzo Lucca, acquired on loan from Napoli, watched the impressive performance from the stands ahead of his expected debut.
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