Nottingham Forest booked their place in the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over FC Midtjylland, capping off a tense and hard-fought European night in Denmark.

Having lost the first leg, Vitor Pereira’s side arrived with intent — despite making nine changes to the starting XI. And it showed. Forest dominated much of the first half, controlling possession and creating the better chances. Their pressure paid off five minutes before the break, when Nicolas Dominguez rose to head home, levelling the tie on aggregate.

The momentum carried into the second half. Early after the restart, Ryan Yates produced a superb long-range finish to put Nottingham Forest ahead in the tie for the first time. It was a moment that seemed to tilt everything in their favour.

But Midtjylland responded with resilience. The hosts forced extra time thanks to a crucial goal from Martin Erlic, reigniting the contest and setting up a nervy finale.

In extra time, Forest thought they had found the winner when Yates struck again, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside following a VAR review — a decision that kept the Danish side alive.

Ultimately, the tie was decided from the spot. And here, Nottingham Forest held their nerve. FC Midtjylland faltered, missing three of their penalties, while Morgan Gibbs-White, Ibrahim Sangare and Neco Williams all converted with composure to seal progression.

2025-26, Europa League

FC Midtjylland - Nottingham Forest 1:2 (0:1), shoot-out 0:3
Goals: Dominguez N., 40 (0:1); Yates, 52 (0:2); Erlic, 69 (1:2)

FC Midtjylland: Olafsson E.; Diao O.; Erlic; Bech Sorensen; Bak; Bravo; Castillo D.; Billing (Şimşir, 46); Byskov (Han-beom Lee, 46); Osorio; Brumado (Cho Gue-sung, 56)
Substitution: Han-beom Lee (from 46); Şimşir (from 46); Cho Gue-sung (from 56)
Bench: Lössl; Ugboh; Gabriel A.; Chilufy; Junior Zé; Gogorza; Uhre
Yellow Cards: Brumado 51; Osorio 71

Nottingham Forest: Ortega S.; Morato F.; Milenković; Abbott; Dominguez N.; Yates; Ndoye D.; Hutchinson; Mcatee; Bakwa; Lucca L.
Bench: Sels; Williams N.; Murillo; Aina; Sangaré I.; Anderson E.; Gibbs-White; Sinclair J.; Igor Jesus