Cho Gue-sung’s late header gives Midtjylland a 1-0 Europa League win at Nottingham Forest, leaving the Premier League side chasing the tie in Denmark.
Nottingham Forest suffered a frustrating 1-0 defeat to Midtjylland in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie at the City Ground. The hosts created numerous chances but could not convert them. Substitute Cho Gue-sung eventually punished that wastefulness with a late header that handed the Danish side the advantage heading into the return leg.
Heavy rain and strong winds made conditions difficult throughout the evening. Despite that, Forest controlled possession and territory for long stretches. Their inability to find the net ultimately proved decisive.
Midtjylland threatened first in the opening stages. Junior Brumado rose to meet a cross with a header that looked destined for goal. Murillo reacted quickly and cleared the effort off the line to keep the scores level.
Forest soon began to dictate the tempo. Omari Hutchinson forced goalkeeper Elias Olafsson into a sharp save from distance. Igor Jesus then stretched to meet a loose ball in the area but guided his effort wide. Elliot Anderson also tested Olafsson with a powerful strike from range. Moments later, Jesus saw a header cleared away after Midtjylland struggled to deal with sustained pressure inside their penalty area.
Forest resumed the second half with the same attacking intent. Nicolas Dominguez and Callum Hudson-Odoi both tried their luck from distance but failed to trouble the goalkeeper. Midtjylland produced a rare moment of danger soon after. Substitute Valdemar Byskov unleashed a long-range effort that crashed against the crossbar. The warning briefly lifted the visitors, though Forest continued to dominate possession.
The rain eventually eased, but the home side still could not find the breakthrough. Anderson drove forward again and created space inside the box, only to send a tame effort toward Olafsson.
Anderson was Forest’s standout performer throughout the match. The midfielder linked play well and constantly drove attacks from deep positions. Hutchinson and Morgan Gibbs-White also provided energy in forward areas.
Midtjylland, meanwhile, remained patient and disciplined. Olafsson produced several crucial saves to keep the match level. Their defensive resilience allowed them to stay within striking distance. That moment arrived in the 80th minute. Ousmane Diao delivered a cross from the right, and Cho slipped away from his marker inside the box. The substitute guided a composed header past Matz Sels and into the corner.
Forest finished the game with 22 shots worth 1.76 expected goals. However, only six of those attempts were on target. The home side also produced just one clear big chance despite dominating territory.
Midtjylland created far fewer opportunities. They managed only six shots with an expected goals total of 0.69. Yet their efficiency proved decisive as they scored with one of their limited chances. The victory also continues the Danish club’s strong record against English opposition. They have now won both meetings with Forest this season after a 3-2 victory in the league phase.
Forest now face a difficult task in the second leg next Thursday in Denmark. The winner of the tie will advance to the quarter-finals to face either Stuttgart or Porto. Before that, Forest return to Premier League action this weekend with a crucial match against Fulham as they continue their relegation battle.
