LONDON: Nottingham Forest suffered a shock 1-0 defeat against Midtjylland in the Europa League last-16 first leg, while Ollie Watkins ended his goal drought as the Aston Villa striker sealed a 1-0 win at Lille on Thursday.
Vitor Pereira’s side were rocked by Cho Gue-sung’s late strike at the City Ground as Forest succumbed to the Danish underdogs for the second time this season.
Beaten 3-2 at home by Midtjylland in the group stage in October when Ange Postecoglou was the second of Forest’s four managers this term, the Premier League strugglers must secure the first away win against the Danes this season in the second leg on March 19 to have a chance of advancing. Midtjylland have won 12 of their last 14 matches in European competitions.
Forest, above the Premier League relegation zone on goal difference, went close when Omari Hutchinson’s 30-yard rocket was tipped over by Elias Rafn Olafsson.
Elliot Anderson’s curler forced another fine save from Olafsson before Midtjylland’s Philip Billing headed off the line to stop Pedro Bravo scoring an own goal.
In torrential rain, Forest lost their footing in the 80th minute, triggering jeers from their frustrated fans.
Ousmane Diao’s cross reached Cho and the South Korea striker planted a composed header past Matz Sels from close range.
“It is difficult to explain. We created so many chances to score. Even if we were to draw, it would not have been fair,” Pereira said.
“They had two chances, and they scored. But we had enough time and the game was there. Even the rain played against us!”
At the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Watkins netted for the first time in eight games in all competitions to put Villa on track for a place in the quarter-finals.
The England international’s second-half goal was only his ninth in a disappointing personal campaign, with just two in his last 13 matches.
He made the breakthrough in the 61st minute, meeting Emiliano Buendia’s flick on with a looping header over Lille keeper Berke Ozer.
Thanks to Watkins, Unai Emery’s side, who beat Lille in the 2024 UEFA Conference League quarter-finals, will head into the second leg at Villa Park as favourites to advance.
Villa have won eight of their nine Europa games this season as they step up their bid to end a 30-year trophy drought.
‘A Serious match’
Emery’s men had stumbled in recent weeks, suffering a chastening defeat at bottom of the table Wolves and a 4-1 thrashing by Chelsea.
But beating Lille was a major boost before a crucial clash at Manchester United on Sunday in the race to qualify for the Champions League.
It was also a landmark 100th victory for Emery as Villa boss.
“Ollie is working and being consistent with his task,” Emery said. “The most important thing is how we played a serious match.
“We know how difficult it is with the atmosphere they have here.”
Brazil striker Endrick salvaged a 1-1 draw for Lyon at 10-man Celta Vigo. Celta’s Javier Rueda swept in Williot Swedberg’s cross in the 25th minute.
But the Spanish side had Borja Iglesias sent off for a second booking in the 54th minute. And Lyon escaped thanks to on-loan Real Madrid teenager Endrick, whose shot from the edge of the area in the 87th minute was fumbled over the line by Celta keeper Ionut Radu.
Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini rescued a 1-1 draw in the all-Italian showdown at Bologna.
Fifth-placed Roma, 12 points above eighth-placed Bologna in Serie A, fell behind when Federico Bernardeschi struck in the 50th minute with a clinical finish from Jonathan Rowe’s assist.
Pellegrini came off the bench to haul Roma level in the 71st minute, tapping in from Donyell Malen’s pass.
Portuguese league leaders Porto won 2-1 at Stuttgart and Genk beat Freiburg 1-0 in Belgium.
Ferencvaros defeated Sporting Braga 2-0 in Budapest, while Panathinaikos earned a shock 1-0 home win against Real Betis.
Palace held in conference league
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace laboured to a 0-0 draw at home to AEK Larnaca in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League last-16 tie on Thursday.
Palace created a glut of chances on a wet and windy night at Selhurst Park but failed to score against their Cypriot opponents for the second time this season, having lost 1-0 to Larnaca in the league phase.
French forward Jean-Philippe Mateta came on as a late substitute for his first Palace appearance since January 25 after a move to AC Milan collapsed due to concerns over a knee injury.
Oliver Glasner’s side will go to Cyprus next week seeking to keep alive their first full venture into European football.
Should they get through they could meet two-time runners-up Fiorentina in the quarter-finals. The Italians edged past Rakow Czestochowa of Poland 2-1 in Florence thanks to a stoppage-time penalty.
Strasbourg, who finished top in the league phase, maintained their unbeaten record in Europe this season with a 2-1 win away to Croatian side Rijeka.
Former Tottenham striker Troy Parrott scored both goals for AZ Alkmaar in a 2-1 victory over Sparta Prague, while Spain’s Rayo Vallecano won 3-1 away to Turkish team Samsunspor.
AEK Athens are on course for the quarter-finals after a 4-0 win at Slovenians Celje, while Shakhtar Donetsk won 3-1 at Lech Poznan. Bundesliga club Mainz drew 0-0 at Czech side Signa Olomouc.
Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2026
