Forest vs Malmö, Rangers vs Braga, and Additional – Europa League Coverage
Live Updates
Key Events
- Match ended: Young Boys 1-2 Aston Villa
- Score!: Aston Villa 2-1 Young Boys (Joël Monteiro 90+1)
- Game over: Feyenoord 1-3 Celtic
- Starting XI: Nottingham Forest v Malmö teams!
- Lineups revealed: Rangers v Braga teams!
- Opening notes
Current Table
The initial outcomes have significant impact on the competition standings. Celtic have moved up to the 17th spot and returned to the secure playoff places.
| Position | Club | Played | 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 |
Final Score: Aston Villa 2-1
Aston Villa secured for the win and moved level on points with leaders Midtjylland at the top of the competition table. The English side made hard work of that in the final stages.
GOAL! Aston Villa 2-1 Young Boys (Joël Monteiro 90+1)
Young Boys earned a chance through Monteiro but were left with stoppage time to find an equaliser!
Full-time: Feyenoord 1-3 Celtic
A significant and important win for the Glasgow side. Even after falling 1-0 down, Celtic roared back with goals from the Korean forward, Reo Hatate and Benjamin Nygren.
Match Updates
Aston Villa, meanwhile, retained a 2-0 lead over Young Boys with around five minutes left at the stadium.
Malen's second goal there sparked furious scenes in the away end, with visiting fans confronting police. Physical altercations occurred and items launched at both the officers and onto the pitch, with Malen himself being hit on the head by a drinking vessel.
Lineups: Forest vs Malmö
Forest: The goalkeeper, The defender, The center-back, The defender, The full-back, Yates, The defensive midfielder, The midfielder, McAtee, Hudson-Odoi, Kalimuendo.
The Swedish side: The goalkeeper, Stryger Larsen, Jansson, Duric, The full-back, Haksabanovic, Johnsen, Skogmar, Bolin, The forward, Busanello.
Official: Harm Osmers (from Germany)
Lineups: Rangers vs Braga
The Glasgow side: Butland, Tavernier, The center-back, Djiga, Aarons, Barron, Diomande, Raskin, Gassama, Danilo, The striker.
Braga: Hornicek, The defender, The center-back, Niakate, Arrey-Mbi, The midfielder, Joao Moutinho, The midfielder, Martinez, The forward, The striker.
Referee: The Dutch referee (Holland)
Historical Context
The European clash and past encounters. The these sides have a special connection, also facing each other in Forest's previous European adventure in the UEFA Cup of 1995-96, but it is the continental championship 46 years ago that connects these teams, with the record-breaking signing the English forward scoring the winner of a rather dull championship game to claim legendary status for the red half of Nottingham.
"Brian Clough and Peter Taylor, grey-sweatered and anonymous amid all the excitement and joy, stood for a moment on a bench serenely viewing the revelry," noted the journalist. This represented an remarkable feat that it is difficult to imagine happening again – from Second Division to continental competition in just three years."
One should note to reflect upon Malmö, who became the initial and final Swedish club to advance to the ultimate game under British coach Houghton.
Tonight's game is a very different to that summit, closer perhaps to the previous continental meeting between Forest and Malmö in 1995-96. Forest are full of confidence after beating Liverpool 3-0 at Liverpool's home on Saturday, while Malmö have been inactive since last month following the conclusion of their domestic campaign. The popular prediction is on the English side tonight.
Plenty of other action on offer in this clockwatch. The Glasgow club have already been lost to a Portuguese opponent this season. Rangers are last place of the competition table at the midpoint of the initial phase with precisely zero points. They desperately need a victory if they are to have any chance of achieving a recovery for a knockout position.
Coverage will persist with all the late games and provide the latest scores from the earlier matches, including Aston Villa v Young Boys and Feyenoord v Celtic.
