Nottingham Forest & Stuttgart Secure Away Wins in Europa League Play-off Opener
In a thrilling opening round of the UEFA Europa League play-off, Nottingham Forest and Stuttgart showcased impressive performances as visiting teams, outshining their opponents. This article provides a summary of the key highlights from the matches played.
Nottingham Forest Defeats Fenerbahçe
Nottingham Forest traveled to Istanbul, where they earned a solid 3-0 victory against Fenerbahçe. This marked Vítor Pereira’s debut match as head coach of Fenerbahçe. The Premier League side came out aggressively, with a deflected shot from Murillo giving them an early lead.
Shortly after, Morgan Gibbs-White assisted Igor Jesus, who headed in his seventh goal of the season. In the second half, Gibbs-White extended the lead, expertly guiding the ball through goalkeeper Ederson’s legs.
Stuttgart Overcomes Celtic
In another match, Stuttgart faced Celtic in a challenging encounter. The match ended 4-1 in favor of the visitors, leaving Celtic manager Martin O’Neill disappointed in his 1,000th game. Stuttgart’s Bilal El Khannouss opened the scoring in the 15th minute, leading to a quick equalizer from Celtic’s Benjamin Nygren.
El Khannouss soon reclaimed the lead for Stuttgart with a header before Jamie Leweling and Tiago Tomás added further goals, sealing a commanding win ahead of the second leg.
Other Notable Matches
- Crvena Zvezda versus Lille: Crvena Zvezda secured a narrow 1-0 win in France, thanks to Franklin Tebo Uchenna’s first-half goal.
- Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzeň: The teams ended in a 2-2 draw, with a late goal from Tomáš Ladra ensuring an equal split.
- Bologna edges out Brann: A lone goal by Santiago Castro handed Bologna a 1-0 away victory.
- GNK Dinamo 1-3 Genk: Genk took a decisive lead, largely due to two goals from Zakaria El Ouahdi.
- PAOK versus Celta: Celta managed a 2-1 victory, highlighted by a goal from veteran Iago Aspas.
- Ludogorets 2-1 Ferencváros: Kwadwo Duah and Son ensured a win for Ludogorets despite a strong response from Ferencváros.
Next Steps
The draw for the last 16 will occur on February 27. Clubs such as Aston Villa, Braga, and Roma have already secured their spots in the later rounds.
As the competition progresses, teams will be eager to maintain momentum and capitalize on their opening leg performances.
