Nottingham Forest secured their place in the Europa League Round of 16 on Wednesday night, progressing 4-2 on aggregate despite a spirited 2-1 second-leg defeat to Fenerbahce at the City Ground. Armed with a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg in Istanbul, Nuno Espirito Santo's side made six changes from their weekend clash against Liverpool, but still had enough quality to see the job through in front of 26,883 supporters.
The match got off to a chaotic start as play had to be halted for over three minutes shortly after kickoff when Fenerbahce supporters threw fireworks onto the pitch. Stewards and officials worked to clear the pyrotechnics before the referee allowed the game to resume, setting an intense tone for the evening at the City Ground.
Fenerbahce showed early intent and were rewarded in the 22nd minute when Kerem Akturkoglu fired home to reduce the aggregate deficit to 3-1. The Turkish side carried that momentum into the second half, and Akturkoglu doubled his tally from the penalty spot in the 48th minute, briefly raising hopes of a remarkable comeback. At 3-2 on aggregate, the tie suddenly felt far more precarious for the hosts.
However, any lingering nerves were emphatically extinguished in the 68th minute when Callum Hudson-Odoi struck to restore Forest's three-goal aggregate cushion. The winger's clinical finish made it 4-2 overall and effectively killed the contest, drawing a collective sigh of relief from the home faithful who had endured a tense second-half opening.
The result marks a historic moment for Nottingham Forest, who have reached a European knockout round for the first time in decades. While the two-time European Cup winners have a storied continental history, this progression to the last 16 represents a significant milestone in the club's modern resurgence under Nuno Espirito Santo.
Forest's approach to the second leg demonstrated the confidence and maturity of a squad that has grown considerably this season. The decision to rotate heavily showed trust in the depth of the roster, and despite conceding twice, the team never truly looked in danger of surrendering their substantial first-leg advantage. The three-goal cushion from Istanbul proved to be more than enough.
Attention now turns to the Round of 16 draw, where Forest will discover their next European opponents. With the momentum of a convincing aggregate victory behind them and the City Ground rocking once more under the floodlights, Nottingham Forest will fancy their chances of extending this remarkable European adventure even further.
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