Forest's Striker Fires Twice as The Reds Round Off European Group Stage with Win over Ferencvaros
Match Summary
- Forest were previously qualified to the play-offs.
- A Ferencvaros defender deflection gives hosts a opening period lead.
- The striker's European strike puts Forest in command.
- Forward nets again with a clinical effort in the latter period.
- The midfielder rounds off a great display with a spot-kick.
The Brazilian attacker scored twice as the Premier League side concluded the league phase of the Europa League with a comfortable triumph against Ferencvaros at the City Ground.
Forest had already secured a place in the next qualifying round and went into this fixture with a slim possibility of making the league's elite, although they required other matches to fall in their favor.
That did not happen but this confident performance will give the supporters belief that their side can come through the two-legged play-off to reach the last 16.
Kristoffer Zachariassen struck the post with a headed effort inside the first 10 minutes for the visitors – coached by ex-Premier League forward Robbie Keane – but it was dominantly the home side from that point forward.
They opened the scoring in the early stages when a delivery from midfield was deflected in by Bence Otvos and added a second shortly after – the striker firing an effort in at the back post for his 10th goal of the season.
The forward's eleventh goal came early in the second half when he made a perfectly-timed run to break clear of the backline and then drive an effort beyond the shot-stopper.
The third strike ended the visitors' aspirations of making a comeback and instead the hosts scored again when the impressive James McAtee scored from a penalty after a infringement by the hapless Otvos inside the box on Dan Ndoye.
The Europa League knockout phase play-off draw takes place on the final Friday of January (12:00 GMT), where Nottingham Forest could be drawn against either the Turkish side or the Greek club.
"It is not just the result, there was that feel about it. I want these players to do well as a unit, the entire team," said Forest boss Sean Dyche.
"This is another stride forward, but it is a good step."
Forest Analysis: Jesus Catches Eye as New Signing Watches On
Jesus has been a standout performer for Forest in European competition this term with half of his eleven strikes coming in the Europa League.
This double also means he has scored a trio of strikes in his previous two outings and the prospect of competition for his position in attack could be spurring him on.
Napoli striker Lorenzo Lucca was recently signed on loan and he was watching this match from the stands.
This development may well have been on the striker's thoughts as he was impressive against the opposition, delivering two excellent finishes and overall being a constant threat to the opposition backline with his speed and movement.
Jesus was not alone in catching the eye, with James McAtee producing his best performance in a Nottingham Forest shirt since joining from Manchester City last summer, while Dan Ndoye also performed well.
Such positive showings will give the club some renewed optimism as they switch focus to increasing the gap from the bottom three when they welcome Crystal Palace on the weekend.
"All you can ask for is a response," continued the manager.
"I have always trusted their commitment or their dedication or honesty. It is just about displaying your quality.
"James was excellent and Dan was incredibly lively. Jesus got another two and these are positive indicators."
Player of the Match
#19 Igor Jesus
Match rating: 9.1
Forest Top Players
- #19: Average Rating 9.1
- #24: Rating 8.8
- #22: Rating 8.63
- I. Sangaré: Average Rating 8.01
- #31: Rating 7.94
The Visitors Notable Players
- #11: Average Rating 4.14
- #66: Average Rating 4.1
- K. Zachariassen: Average Rating 4.1
After the opportunity to rate players has ended, the score displayed represents the average from all the votes.
