Nottingham Forest are taking on Fenerbahce in the Europa League tonight, and it’s a case of so far so good in the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium.
The Reds took an early lead when Murillo smashed the ball home from outside the penalty area.
Vitor Pereira has named his first Nottingham Forest team to play Fenerbahce!
Would you have made any changes?
With Forest being managed by Vitor Pereira for the very first time, there was a clear shift in strategy from the Reds, with the Portuguese manager getting his team playing on the front foot from the off.
There were plenty of chances for the Reds in the opening 45 minutes and there was also a flash point in the 23rd minute involving Igor Jesus.
Ally McCoist makes Igor Jesus claim after 23rd minute
Jesus raced free in the 23rd minute, but the Fenerbahce skipper, Milan Skriniar, was stricken on the ground, with the defender eventually going off injured.
McCoist felt as though Jesus should have put the ball out of play with most of the home side stopping with their captain lying on the ground.
He said live on TNT Sports: “I’m going to give you my take on it, I think he should kick it out, really. That said, if he didn’t see him, then what can you do? He should kick it out though.”
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Jesus finished the half by scoring another away goal in the Europa League, and Forest look well set for a very strong second half away from home.
Forest have started brilliantly under Pereira
The Portuguese incumbent couldn’t have envisaged this in his wildest dreams.
Goals from the Brazilian duo Murillo and Jesus have put the Forest fans in dreamland after the opening 45 minutes – although there is work to do.
Jesus perhaps should have put the ball out of play, but ultimately it led to nothing, and the reaction from the Fenerbahce players was very over the top.
The challenge for Forest now is to avoid complacency in the second half.
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