19 Mar 2026

Forest win shootout at Midtjylland in UEL R16

Nottingham Forest kept their nerve in Herning, beating FC Midtjylland 3-0 on penalties after a 2-1 away win in extra time left the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 tie level 2-2 on aggregate. The shootout belonged to Forest, who converted all three attempts while the hosts missed all three. It was tense, short, and decisive.

How the match unfolded

Forest took control before the break. Nicolás Domínguez headed in at 40 minutes after Nikola Milenković kept a recycled cross alive. Ryan Yates then doubled the lead on 52 minutes, finishing a pass from James McAtee to put Forest 2-0 up on the night.

Midtjylland found a lifeline through center-back Martin Erlić, who swept in with his left foot on 69 minutes. That goal forced extra time at MCH Arena, with German referee Felix Zwayer overseeing a physical contest that produced six yellow cards.

The numbers behind it

Forest carried the bigger threat in open play. They led shots 20-12, shots on target 8-3, corners 11-4 and xG 2.03 to 0.67. They also had more touches in the box, 32 to 21, and created two big chances to Midtjylland’s one.

Midtjylland edged possession 52 percent and won the aerial battle 55 percent, but Forest were cleaner in the final third, posting 82 entries to 63. Elías Ólafsson kept Midtjylland alive with seven saves and a standout Sofascore Rating of 9, the highest on the pitch.

Standout performances

For Forest, Milenković was excellent before his 61st-minute substitution, delivering 2 key passes and an assist with a Sofascore Rating of 7.7. McAtee added an assist, 9 ball recoveries and a 7.6, while captain Yates scored, hit the woodwork, and fired 5 shots with 0.44 xG. Ola Aina’s 45-minute cameo brought another lift, with 1 shot on target and 0.32 xA.

For Midtjylland, Erlić scored, made 15 clearances and won 6 duels in a busy night at the back. Denil Castillo battled well in midfield, winning 15 duels. Ólafsson’s seven saves included two big ones, but he could only watch the shootout unfold at the opposite end.

The shootout that settled it

Forest were perfect from the spot. Morgan Gibbs-White went first and scored, Ibrahim Sangaré followed, and Neco Williams sealed it. Midtjylland’s three takers, Gue-sung Cho, Aral Şimşir and Edward Chilufya, all missed the target. Final shootout score: 3-0 to Forest.

Forest’s 3-4-2-1 asked questions in transition and on set plays, and it paid off across 120 minutes and the penalties. With the aggregate level at 2-2, Vítor Pereira’s side advanced thanks to cool finishing from 12 yards and a performance packed with direct threat. You can explore full match data, player heatmaps and each Sofascore Rating on Sofascore.

What it means

Nottingham Forest move into the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals after a composed night in Denmark. Midtjylland exit with credit, especially from a resilient second-half push and a top goalkeeping display. Forest, meanwhile, carry momentum and a useful blend of set-piece power and counter-attacking speed into the next round.