Forest's Striker Fires Twice as The Reds Round Off European Campaign with Win over Ferencvaros
Match Summary
- Forest were previously qualified to the knockout round.
- A Ferencvaros defender deflection gives Nottingham Forest a first-half lead.
- The striker's European strike puts Forest in command.
- Forward nets again with a sharp finish in the latter period.
- The midfielder caps a great performance with a penalty.
The Brazilian attacker found the net on two occasions as Nottingham Forest concluded the group stage of the Europa League with a convincing triumph against their Hungarian visitors at the home stadium.
Forest had already secured a berth in the next qualifying round and went into this fixture with a slim possibility of reaching the top eight, even though they required other matches to fall in their favor.
That did not happen but this assured performance will give Forest fans confidence that their team can navigate the two-legged play-off to reach the last 16.
A Ferencvaros midfielder did hit the post with a header inside the opening stages for the away team – who are managed by ex-Premier League forward Robbie Keane – but it was dominantly the home side from that point forward.
Forest broke the deadlock in the early stages when a delivery from midfield was turned into his own net by the defender and doubled the lead shortly after – Jesus firing an effort in at the far post for his 10th goal of the season.
The forward's 11th arrived early in the second half when he timed a run perfectly to escape the backline and then place a shot beyond the goalkeeper.
That goal ended the visitors' aspirations of making a comeback and instead the hosts scored again when the impressive James McAtee converted a penalty after a infringement by the hapless Otvos inside the penalty area on Dan Ndoye.
The Europa League knockout phase play-off draw is scheduled on Friday, 30 January (12:00 GMT), where Forest could be drawn against either Fenerbahce or the Greek club.
"It's more than the scoreline, there was that feel about it. I want these guys to do well as a unit, the entire team," said manager Sean Dyche.
"This is another stride forward, but it is a good one."
Team Breakdown: Striker Shines as Recent Arrival Watches On
Jesus has been a standout performer for Nottingham Forest in European competition this season with six of his eleven strikes scored in the Europa League.
His brace also means he has scored a trio of strikes in his last two games and the threat of competition for his place in attack could be providing motivation.
Napoli striker Lorenzo Lucca was recently brought in temporarily and he was watching this match from the stands.
That may well have been on Jesus' mind as he was impressive against Ferencvaros, producing two superb finishes and overall being a constant threat to the opposition backline with his speed and runs.
The forward was not alone in impressing, with McAtee producing his best performance in a Nottingham Forest shirt since signing from Manchester City in the previous transfer window, while Dan Ndoye also impressed.
These encouraging performances will give the club some renewed optimism as they switch focus to pulling further away from the bottom three when they host their London rivals on Sunday.
"All you can ask for is a reaction," added Dyche.
"I've never questioned their work ethic or their dedication or integrity. It is just about displaying your ability.
"McAtee was excellent and Dan was incredibly lively. Igor got another couple and these are good signs."
Star Performer
Number: 19 The Striker
Average rating: 9.1
Forest Key Performers
- #19: Rating 9.10
- #24: Average Rating 8.8
- #22: Average Rating 8.6
- #6: Average Rating 8.0
- #31: Average Rating 7.9
Ferencváros Ratings
- B. Yusuf: Average Rating 4.1
- Júlio Romão: Average Rating 4.1
- K. Zachariassen: Average Rating 4.1
Once the chance to submit ratings has ended, the rating shown represents the average from all the votes.
