Nottingham Forest FC, with Nigerian defender Ola Aina in action, secured a dramatic passage into the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals after defeating FC Midtjylland 3–0 on penalties, following a 2–1 second-leg victory that leveled the tie at 2–2 on aggregate.
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Forest entered the match needing a response after their first-leg defeat and delivered a spirited performance in front of their home fans.
Nicolás Domínguez opened the scoring to set the tone, before Ryan Yates added a second goal to bring the hosts level on aggregate.
However, Midtjylland refused to go quietly, as Martin Erlić struck in the 69th minute to restore parity and force the contest into extra time.
The drama intensified in the additional period, with Yates appearing to have netted a late winner for Forest, only for the goal to be ruled out just minutes before the end of extra time.
With nothing to separate both sides after 120 minutes, the tie was decided via penalties. Nottingham Forest held their nerve in the shootout, converting their efforts with composure, while Midtjylland faltered—missing three of their spot-kicks.
Forest ultimately triumphed 3–0 in the shootout, sealing progression to the final eight of the competition. It was a night of resilience and determination for Forest, with Aina contributing defensively as the team overcame adversity to keep their European dream alive.
