Nottingham Forest Edge Fenerbahce, Book UEL Last 16 Spot
Nottingham Forest reach Europa League last 16, beating Fenerbahce 4-2 on aggregate, despite 2-1 loss at City Ground. Callum Hudson-Odoi's strike seals win.
Nottingham Forest's failure to secure a third consecutive win in a UEFA competition, a feat last achieved in the 1983/84 season...
Nottingham Forest secured their spot in the UEFA Europa League last 16 with a 4-2 aggregate win over Fenerbahce, despite losing 2-1 at home. They had a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg, which helped them overcome the deficit.
Fenerbahce took an early lead through Kerem Akturkoglu's 22nd-minute goal, but Forest equalized with Callum Hudson-Odoi's strike in the 68th minute. However, Akturkoglu scored again from the penalty spot in the 48th minute, giving Fenerbahce hope. Forest's victory marks a successful campaign for manager Vitor Pereira, who had rotated his squad for the knockout play-off tie.
The visitors soon showed their quality midway through the first half with a great breakaway goal. Sidiki Cherif's pass escaped Neco Williams, allowing Kerem Akturkoglu to score the opener.
Newcastle looked for a response through Elliot Anderson's close-range effort, but Fenerbahce were the more threatening. Aktürkoğlu swept a first-time shot wide, then flicked a neat pass to Cherif, who fired straight at Stefan Ortega.
Boos greeted the home side as they headed down the tunnel at the break, and Vitor Pereira was evidently unimpressed as he made four alterations ahead of the second period.
However, just three minutes after the restart, Akturkoglu was celebrating his second of the evening by tucking home a penalty after being upended by Jair Cunha.
Fenerbahce had never progressed from a European tie after losing the first leg, yet with plenty of time left on the clock, momentum was with the Turkish side in their 27th such attempt.
Forest had been a shadow of the side that put Fener to the sword in Turkey, and they needed a moment of quality to re-establish some breathing room in the tie.
That class came from Callum Hudson-Odoi, who collected Ola Aina’s cross in the box before working some space to calmly slot his sixth goal of the season into the bottom corner.
A place in the round of 16 secured 🔒#UEL pic.twitter.com/gvj78unqgO
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) February 26, 2026
With 22 minutes to play, the Premier League side were back in charge of the contest, going close again through a bending Hudson-Odoi strike and an Igor Jesus one-on-one opportunity, but ultimately doing enough to see out the tie.
The result marks just the second time Fenerbahçe have ever won a European away match against an English side (D2, L7), but that will be of little consolation as a disappointing first-leg defeat was their undoing.
Nottingham Forest's failure to secure a third consecutive win in a UEFA competition, a feat last achieved in the 1983/84 season, is disappointing, especially considering their lackluster performance. The team's display was unimpressive, making the missed opportunity all the more frustrating.
Nottingham Forest's #UEL journey continues ✨ pic.twitter.com/c1r0ZhgxYg
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) February 26, 2026
Despite the disappointment, progression to the next round was the primary objective, and Nottingham Forest achieved this goal. They will now face either Real Betis Balompié or FC Midtjylland in the last 16, with the aim of claiming their first European trophy since the 1979/80 season.
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