Nottingham Forest v Malmö, Rangers vs Braga, and More – UEFA Europa League Coverage
Match Coverage
Major Moments
- Final whistle: Young Boys 1-2 Aston Villa
- GOAL!: Joël Monteiro scores for Young Boys at 90+1
- Full-time: Feyenoord 1-3 Celtic
- Lineups announced: Nottingham Forest v Malmö teams!
- Starting players: Starting XI for Rangers vs Braga
- Introduction
Current Table
These early results strongly influence the league rankings. Celtic climbed to 17th position and returned to the secure playoff places.
| Pos | Club | P | Difference | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midtjylland | 5 | 7 | 12 |
| 2 | Aston Villa | 5 | 5 | 12 |
| 3 | Freiburg | 5 | 5 | 11 |
| 4 | Ferencvaros | 5 | 4 | 11 |
| 5 | FC Porto | 5 | 3 | 10 |
| 17 | Celtic | 5 | -1 | 7 |
| 25 | Nottm Forest | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 35 | Rangers | 4 | -7 | 0 |
| 33 | Malmo FF | 4 | -5 | 1 |
Match Result: Villa 2-1 Young Boys
The English side clung on for the win and went equal on points with leaders Midtjylland at the top of the league phase standings. The English side made hard work of that in the final stages.
90+1: Monteiro Pulls One Back
The Swiss side created a hope through Monteiro but were left with stoppage time to find an equaliser!
Celtic Secure Victory
A memorable and crucial win for the Celtic. Despite going 1-0 down, Celtic roared back with goals from the Korean forward, Hatate and Nygren.
Game Developments
Villa, at the same time, maintained a 2-0 lead over Young Boys with around five minutes left at their home ground.
Malen's double there triggered intense reactions in the opposition stands, with Young Boys supporters clashing with police. Punches were thrown and objects thrown at both the authorities and at the playing surface, with Malen himself being struck in the head by a drinking vessel.
Starting XI Revealed
Nottingham Forest: John Victor, Abbott, The center-back, The defender, Morato, Yates, Sangare, Dominguez, McAtee, The winger, Kalimuendo.
The Swedish side: Ellborg, The defender, The center-back, Duric, The full-back, Haksabanovic, The midfielder, Skogmar, Bolin, The forward, The striker.
Referee: Osmers (Germany)
Lineups: Rangers vs Braga
The Light Blues: The goalkeeper, Tavernier, Fernandez, The defender, Aarons, Barron, Diomande, Raskin, The attacker, The forward, The striker.
Braga: The goalkeeper, Gomez, The center-back, Niakate, Arrey-Mbi, Zalazar, The experienced midfielder, Gorby, Martinez, Navarro, Horta.
Referee: The Dutch referee (Holland)
Historical Context
Nottingham Forest v Malmö and historical connections. The these sides have a historical link, also competing in Forest's last European campaign in the 1995-96 Uefa Cup, but it is the premier competition final 46 years ago that links these clubs, with Britain's first £1m player Trevor Francis netting the decisive goal of a largely forgettable match to secure historic victory for the red half of Nottingham.
"The legendary management duo, modestly dressed amid all the festivities and cheers, stood for a moment on a bench quietly watching the revelry," noted the journalist. This represented an extraordinary accomplishment that it is difficult to imagine happening again – from Second Division to European stage in just three years."
Worth mentioning to reflect upon Malmö, who became the pioneering and only Swedish club to advance to the ultimate game under manager Houghton.
This match is a far cry from that peak, closer perhaps to the earlier European encounter between Forest and Malmö in that era. Forest are absolutely buzzing after beating Liverpool 3-0 at the famous ground on Saturday, while Malmö haven't played officially since last month following the conclusion of their domestic campaign. The smart money is on the Forest tonight.
Numerous other matches on offer in this clockwatch. The Scottish side have already been beaten by a European rival this season. Rangers are last place of the competition table at the midpoint of the initial phase with precisely zero points. They badly want a victory if they are to have any opportunity for a comeback for a knockout position.
Coverage will persist with all nine of the 8pm kick-offs and provide the latest scores from the earlier matches, including Villa vs Young Boys and Rotterdam vs Glasgow.