Nottingham Forest v Malmö, Rangers vs Braga, and More – UEFA Europa League Coverage
Match Coverage
Key Events
- Final whistle: Villa 2-1 Young Boys
- GOAL!: Late goal from Monteiro makes it 2-1
- Full-time: Feyenoord 1-3 Celtic
- Team news: Starting players for Forest vs Malmö
- Starting players: Starting XI for Rangers vs Braga
- Preamble
League Position
The initial outcomes greatly affect the league rankings. Celtic have moved up to 17th place and are back in the secure knockout positions.
| Pos | Team | Played | Goal Difference | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midtjylland | 5 | 7 | 12 |
| 2 | Aston Villa | 5 | 5 | 12 |
| 3 | Freiburg | 5 | 5 | 11 |
| 4 | Ferencvaros | 5 | 4 | 11 |
| 5 | FC Porto | 5 | 3 | 10 |
| 17 | Celtic | 5 | -1 | 7 |
| 25 | Nottm Forest | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 35 | Rangers | 4 | -7 | 0 |
| 33 | Malmo FF | 4 | -5 | 1 |
Full-time: Aston Villa 2-1 Young Boys
Villa managed to hold on for the three points and went equal on points with table-toppers Midtjylland at the peak of the competition table. The Birmingham club struggled of that at the end.
90+1: Monteiro Pulls One Back
The Swiss side created a chance through Monteiro but had just stoppage time to get the tying goal!
Glasgow Side Wins 3-1
A famous and valuable win for the Glasgow side. Although they went 1-0 down, Celtic roared back with goals from the Korean forward, the Japanese midfielder and Benjamin Nygren.
Latest Action
The Birmingham side, meanwhile, maintained a 2-0 lead over Young Boys with around five minutes left at their home ground.
Malen's double there sparked furious scenes in the away end, with visiting fans confronting police. Punches were thrown and items launched at both the authorities and at the playing surface, with the goalscorer being struck in the head by a plastic cup.
Starting XI Revealed
Forest: John Victor, Abbott, Milenkovic, Murillo, The full-back, The midfielder, Sangare, The midfielder, The attacker, Hudson-Odoi, Kalimuendo.
Malmö: Ellborg, Larsen, The center-back, Duric, Rosler, Haksabanovic, The midfielder, The midfielder, Bolin, Gudjohnsen, The striker.
Referee: Harm Osmers (from Germany)
Starting Players
Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Fernandez, Djiga, The full-back, Barron, Diomande, Raskin, The attacker, Danilo, The striker.
The Arsenalistas: Hornicek, Gomez, The center-back, The defender, Arrey-Mbi, The midfielder, The experienced midfielder, Gorby, The attacker, Navarro, The striker.
Match official: The Dutch referee (Holland)
Preamble
Forest vs Malmö and historical connections. The two clubs have a unique relationship, also meeting in Forest's previous European adventure in the UEFA Cup of 1995-96, but it is the premier competition final 46 years ago that connects these teams, with Britain's first £1m player Francis netting the decisive goal of a largely forgettable match to clinch eternal glory for the the English club.
"The legendary management duo, unassuming and low-key amid all the festivities and cheers, stood for a moment on a bench serenely viewing the revelry," wrote the match reporter. Their achievement was an outstanding achievement that it is hard to see being repeated – from second tier to continental competition in three seasons."
One should note to consider Malmö, who became the pioneering and only Scandinavian side to advance to the ultimate game under British coach Houghton.
This match is a very different to that summit, closer perhaps to the previous continental meeting between Forest and Malmö in the mid-nineties. Forest are riding high after beating Liverpool 3-0 at Liverpool's home on Saturday, while Malmö have been inactive since 9 November following the end of the Swedish league season. The general expectation is on the Forest tonight.
Additional games on offer in this clockwatch. The Scottish side have already been defeated by a Braga this season. Rangers are last place of the league rankings at the half-way stage of the league phase with exactly zero. They urgently require a victory if they are to have any hope of making a late surge for a knockout position.
Updates will continue with all the evening matches and provide the latest scores from the concluded fixtures, including the Birmingham match and Rotterdam vs Glasgow.
