Midtjylland net late winner to cut Nottingham Forest down in round of 16 first leg

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/midtjylland/8GZDmdbB/"]Midtjylland[/a] hit the front early when these two met on this ground in the league phase, and they really ought to have repeated the act here.[/p][p]Less than three minutes were on the clock when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/billing-philip/0Q2tmFv8/"]Philip Billing[/a] - who boasts four career goal involvements against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nottingham/UsushcZr/"]Forest[/a] - delivered a cross to the back post for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/junior-brumado/0AzLhQbG/"]Junior Brumado[/a], but his header was denied by a vital [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/murillo/40Vyq1xR/"]Murillo[/a] clearance.[/p][p]Despite seeing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cunha/IkllpdnC/"]Jair Cunha[/a] forced off injured, the hosts recovered from that early scare and soon started to unleash shots on the Midtjylland goal, albeit from long range. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/giraud-hutchinson-omari/pQLd3K5k/"]Omari Hutchinson[/a] was first to threaten when he forced a smart save from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olafsson-elias/AXTCchy8/"]Elias Olafsson[/a] before the Midtjylland goalkeeper could only spill [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aina-ola/O28OebFA/"]Ola Aina[/a]’s effort into [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/igor-jesus/zPQTw5fe/"]Igor Jesus[/a]’ path, but the Brazilian failed to turn the rebound on target.[/p][p]Olafsson then tipped [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/anderson-elliott/KdYCbsbE/"]Elliot Anderson[/a]’s powerful effort from distance over the bar, with Jesus’ header from the subsequent corner cleared off the line by Billing.[/p][embed guid="62bcd5ae-14ee-4c0e-b4e7-0e1958e4c261" url="https://x.com/NFFC/status/2032209495154151585" social-type="twitter" /][p]The Tricky Trees’ best chance of the first period came late when Hutchinson picked out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gibbs-white-morgan/beZNT1bB/"]Morgan Gibbs-White[/a] in the area, but his goalbound effort was blocked, ensuring neither of these sides added to their joint competition-high 10 first-half goals and keeping the tie finely poised.[/p][p]Vítor Pereira’s men were quick out of the traps following the restart, with Aina seeing an effort from around the penalty spot inadvertently blocked by Gibbs-White before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dominguez-nicolas/A7jPNAQT/"]Nicolas Dominguez[/a] lashed wide of the upright.[/p][p]Driving rain and swirling wind presented a huge obstacle to both sets of players, and though Forest looked to be handling the deteriorating conditions better, Midtjylland nearly applied a sucker punch when half-time substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/andreasen-valdemar/lMWigK2S/"]Valdemar Andreasen[/a] forced [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sels-matz/Qqo54dB7/"]Matz Sels[/a] into a smart save before hitting the bar from the subsequent corner.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="8b290989-f05e-4673-b67d-a4cb3ec8cab5" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="6759e4c6-aad1-4512-b093-bfee3cfaec86" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]As puddles started to form on the City Ground pitch, Forest’s attacking impetus seemed to dry up.[/p][p]That left them vulnerable at the other end, and the Wolves made them pay by snatching a lead in the final 10 minutes. [/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/diao-osman/CdascET3/"]Ousmane Diao[/a]’s deep cross from the inside right was perfect for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cho-kyu-sung/Kb3dhzfM/"]Cho Gue-sung[/a], who shrugged off Aina’s challenge and headed into the bottom corner. [/b][/p][p]The shell-shocked hosts were ultimately unable to respond, meaning they have a mountain to climb in next week’s second leg, given that Midtjylland are yet to lose at home in any competition this term.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olafsson-elias/AXTCchy8/"]Elias Olafsson[/a] (Midtjylland)[/b][/p][embed guid="1db39b25-383a-4266-ac4b-b2c7df3fb52d" url="https://x.com/Flashscorecom/status/2032214135304315307" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/midtjylland-8GZDmdbB/nottingham-UsushcZr/summary/stats/?mid=4Yg7nbYj"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]