Forest's Striker Fires Twice as The Reds Round Off Europa League Group Stage with Win over Ferencvaros
At a Glance
- The home side were already through to the knockout round.
- Bence Otvos deflection gives hosts a opening period lead.
- Igor Jesus' fifth goal in Europe puts the team in command.
- Striker nets again with a sharp finish in the second half.
- The midfielder rounds off a great performance 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 home stadium.
Forest had already secured a place in the knockout round play-offs and went into this fixture with a slim possibility of reaching the top eight, although they needed other matches to go their way.
Those results failed to materialize but this confident display will give Forest fans belief that their side can come through the home-and-away tie to reach the round of sixteen.
A Ferencvaros midfielder did hit the upright with a header 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 broke the deadlock in the 17th minute when a delivery from midfield was deflected in by Bence Otvos and added a second four minutes later – the striker firing an effort in at the far post for his 10th goal of the campaign.
The forward's eleventh goal arrived soon after the restart when he timed a run perfectly to break clear of the defence and then drive an effort beyond the goalkeeper.
That goal killed off Ferencvaros' hopes of making a comeback and instead the hosts scored again when the impressive James McAtee converted a spot-kick after a foul by the hapless Bence Otvos inside the penalty area on the winger.
The Europa League qualifying round lottery takes place on the final Friday of January (midday UK time), where Nottingham Forest could be drawn against either Fenerbahce or Panathinaikos.
"It is not just the result, there was that feel about it. I want these players to do collectively well, the whole squad," said manager Sean Dyche.
"This is another step, but it is a good step."
Team Breakdown: Jesus Catches Eye as Recent Arrival Observes from Stands
Jesus has been a revelation for Forest in European competition this term with six of his 11 goals scored in the Europa League.
This double also means he has got a trio of strikes in his previous two outings and the prospect of competition for his place in attack could be providing motivation.
Italian forward Lorenzo Lucca was last week brought in temporarily and he was observing this game from the directors' box.
That may well have been on the striker's thoughts as he was impressive against Ferencvaros, delivering two superb finishes and overall being a menace to the visitors' defence with his speed and movement.
The forward was not alone in catching the eye, with McAtee producing his best performance in a Forest jersey since joining from the champions in the previous transfer window, while Dan Ndoye also performed well.
These encouraging performances will give the club some renewed optimism as they switch focus to pulling further away from the bottom three when they welcome Crystal Palace on Sunday.
"The minimum requirement is a reaction," added Dyche.
"I've never questioned their work ethic or their dedication or integrity. It is just go and show your ability.
"James was excellent and Dan Ndoye was super sharp. Jesus got another two and these are positive indicators."
Star Performer
#19 Igor Jesus
Match rating: 9.1
Nottingham Forest Key Performers
- #19: Average Rating 9.10
- #24: Average Rating 8.75
- R. Yates: Rating 8.63
- I. Sangaré: Rating 8.01
- N. Milenković: Rating 7.94
The Visitors Ratings
- B. Yusuf: Average Rating 4.1
- Júlio Romão: Rating 4.1
- #16: Average Rating 4.1
After the opportunity to submit ratings has closed, the rating shown is the mean from all the submissions.
