Forest vs Malmö, Braga vs Rangers, and More – Europa League Coverage
Match Coverage
Important Updates
- Match ended: Aston Villa 2-1 Young Boys
- Score!: Joël Monteiro scores for Young Boys at 90+1
- Game over: Feyenoord 1-3 Celtic
- Team news: Forest and Malmö lineups
- Starting players: Starting XI for Rangers vs Braga
- Preamble
Current Table
The initial outcomes have significant impact on the league rankings. Celtic have moved up to 17th position and regained position in the protected knockout positions.
| Pos | Team | P | Difference | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Full-time: Aston Villa 2-1 Young Boys
The English side clung on for the victory and went equal on points with table-toppers Midtjylland at the summit of the league phase standings. Villa made hard work of that in the final stages.
90+1: Monteiro Pulls One Back
Young Boys earned a lifeline through Monteiro but had just four more minutes to get the tying goal!
Glasgow Side Wins 3-1
A memorable and crucial win for the Scottish team. Although they went 1-0 down, Celtic fought back with goals from the Korean forward, Hatate and Nygren.
Latest Action
Villa, at the same time, held onto a 2-0 lead over Young Boys with around five minutes left at Villa Park.
Malen's second goal there caused dramatic events in the visitors' section, with Swiss fans engaging with police. Punches were thrown and projectiles hurled at both the police and toward the field, with Malen himself being hit on the head by a plastic cup.
Team News: Nottingham Forest v Malmö
Nottingham Forest: John Victor, The defender, Milenkovic, Murillo, Morato, Yates, The defensive midfielder, Dominguez, McAtee, Hudson-Odoi, Kalimuendo.
The Swedish side: Ellborg, Stryger Larsen, The center-back, The defender, Rosler, Haksabanovic, Johnsen, Skogmar, Bolin, The forward, Busanello.
Referee: Osmers (German)
Team News: Rangers v Braga
The Light Blues: Butland, Tavernier, The center-back, The defender, The full-back, Barron, The midfielder, The midfielder, Gassama, Danilo, The striker.
The Arsenalistas: Hornicek, Gomez, Lagerbielke, The defender, Arrey-Mbi, The midfielder, Moutinho, Gorby, The attacker, The forward, Ricardo Horta.
Referee: The Dutch referee (Holland)
Match Background
Nottingham Forest v Malmö and historical connections. The two clubs have a special connection, also competing in Forest's last European campaign in the 1995-96 Uefa Cup, but it is the premier competition final decades past that entwines these two together, with the groundbreaking transfer Francis netting the decisive goal of a largely forgettable match to clinch eternal glory for the the English club.
"The legendary management duo, unassuming and low-key amid all the festivities and cheers, stood for a moment on a bench calmly observing the revelry," wrote the match reporter. This represented an remarkable feat that it is unlikely to be replicated – from the lower league to continental competition in three seasons."
It's also interesting to reflect upon Malmö, who became the first, and to date the last Nordic team to make the championship match under British coach Houghton.
Tonight's game is a very different to that peak, closer perhaps to the earlier European encounter between Forest and Malmö in the mid-nineties. Forest are full of confidence after thrashing Liverpool at the famous ground on Saturday, while Malmö have been inactive since early November following the completion of Allsvenskan. The smart money is on the English side tonight.
Plenty of other action on offer in this clockwatch. Rangers have already been defeated by a Portuguese opponent this season. Rangers are rock bottom of the league rankings at the midpoint of the group stage with precisely zero points. They urgently require a victory if they are to have any opportunity for a late surge for a qualification place.
Coverage will persist with all nine of the 8pm kick-offs and provide the latest scores from the concluded fixtures, including Villa vs Young Boys and the Dutch-Scottish clash.
