Nottingham Forest Triumphs Over Midtjylland in Dramatic Penalty Shootout, But Anderson's Injury Casts Shadow

NOTTINGHAM FOREST won their first ever European shootout to book a spot in the last eight.

And Victor Pereira will bring that ‘winning feeling’ to Spurs on Sunday, despite playing over 120 minutes of football in Denmark.

Ryan Yates celebrates after scoring Nottingham Forest’s second goalCredit: Getty Nottingham Forest edged Midtjylland on penaltiesCredit: Getty

Pereira rolled the dice by sacrificing the Midland club’s hopes for Premier League survival – a calculated risk that ultimately paid off.

With a gigantic relegation six-pointer at Tottenham looming, Pereira’s gamble to bench NINE of his regular starters appeared to be a stroke of genius for 69 minutes.

With two goals apiece on aggregate after extra-time, Midtjylland fluffed THREE straight penalties to send Forest through.

Ryan Yates struck Eric Cantona’s standing pose when he thought he won it for the visitors in the final seconds of extra-time, only for his superb header to be cruelly ruled out for offside.

Forest’s lively second string had a point to prove as two classy goals from Nicolas Dominguez and Yates completed the turnaround in Denmark after Forest trailed 1-0 from the first leg.

But switching off in one vital moment almost cost Forest the game and 30 extra minutes in their legs as Martin Erlic levelled from Midtjylland’s first shot on target.

Elliot Anderson, , Ibrahim Sangare, Neco Williams and Europa League top goalscorer Igor Jesus were named on the bench ahead of Sunday’s visit to North London.

Incidentally, three cavalry members – Gibbs-White, Sangare, and Williams -scored their spot-kicks.

In one of the most bizarre shootouts in the competition’s history, Cho and Aral Simsir both smacked their shots off the post before Edward Chilufya did a John Terry.

History repeated itself as it was 46 years to the day since Forest came back from a home defeat to go through in Europe, when and John Robinson inspired the turnaround for Brian Clough’s side over Dinamo Berlin in 1980.

Forest’s B Team had a point to prove, peppering Midtjylland with 11 shots at goal in the first half, limiting the hosts to just one half-chance.

It could have gone either way for Forest, who are burdened by a flight home and a day less to recover compared to a Spurs squad that played at home.

Mentally it could be huge, with Spurs one point above Forest in the table and scratched from their spirited exit to Atletico Madrid.

Forest were on the front foot after three minutes, with James McAtee playing in .

Nikola Milenkovic missed two close range efforts either side of a chance.

Yates extended Forest’s competition record for hitting the woodwork the most times, when he volleyed off the crossbar before the 30 minute mark.

Former Bournemouth star Phillip Billing scrambled to clear the ball off the line from a Forest corner before Lucca shanked over from Milenkovic’s knock down.

But the Midlands club finally found a breakthrough when Dominguez craned his neck back to loop a header over Elías Rafn Ólafsson into the top corner.

Hutchinson’s limp shot was a big chance missed before the break with shellshocked Midtjylland hanging on for the whistle.

Yates’ brilliant strike from 20 yards saw pandemonium in the away end.

The Forest skipper was at stretching as he took a touch, before shifting onto his left foot and wrapping a banger from outside the box.

Pereira turned to bring the big guns in Murillo, Gibbs-White and Neco Williams, on from the bench to close the game out.

But the home side finally woke up and levelled with their first opening at goal through centre-back Erlic.

Forest switched off at the back as a cross into the box dropped to the Croatian defender, who smashed a powerful effort high into the net.

Anderson replaced Forest’s best player on the night McAtee in the 76th minute, with Ola Aina on for Dilane Bakwa.

Soon Stefan Ortega spread himself to save Cho Gue-sung at close range in a chaotic final ten minutes.

Aina scuffed what should have been the winner as Gibbs-White surged into space before threading the pass to the full-back.

Sangare was the sixth Premier League starter to enter the fray after he replaced Dominguez at the start of extra-time.

Within seconds the visitors had a goal chalked off after Lucca was shoved offside in the lead up to his low finish.

Extra-time grew leggy with Murillo and Anderson booked for clumsy fouls, which means the England midfielder will miss the first leg of the quarter-final.