Nottingham Forest defeated Fenerbahce 3-1 in the first leg of their Europa League knockout round play-off tie on Thursday. Head coach Vitor Pereira instructed his players to express themselves before the match at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium. This approach resulted in a commanding performance against the Turkish side, according to BBC Sport.
Chris Wood opened the scoring for Forest after 12 minutes. The visitors extended their lead through Anthony Elanga, who scored shortly before half-time. Fenerbahce reduced the deficit in the second half, but Morgan Gibbs-White restored the two-goal cushion with a late strike.
Pereira praised the composure of his team following the result. The manager noted that the players followed his tactical instructions to remain brave in possession. Forest host the second leg at the City Ground next week. The winner of the tie will progress to the round of 16 in the competition.
