Malmö vs Nottingham Forest, Braga vs Rangers, and Additional – UEFA Europa League Updates
Match Coverage
Key Events
- Match ended: Villa 2-1 Young Boys
- Goal scored!: Aston Villa 2-1 Young Boys (Joël Monteiro 90+1)
- Game over: Feyenoord defeated 1-3 by Celtic
- Team news: Forest and Malmö lineups
- Team news: Rangers and Braga lineups
- Opening notes
League Position
The initial outcomes strongly influence the league rankings. The Glasgow side rose to 17th place and returned to the safety of qualification spots.
| Position | Team | Played | Goal Difference | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 became tied on points with front-runners Midtjylland at the peak of the league phase standings. The Birmingham club made hard work of that in the final stages.
Late Goal: Monteiro Scores
The Swiss side created a lifeline through Monteiro but were left with four more minutes to find an equaliser!
Glasgow Side Wins 3-1
A significant and important win for the Scottish team. Although they went 1-0 down, Celtic fought back with goals from Yang, the Japanese midfielder and Nygren.
Latest Action
The Birmingham side, at the same time, maintained a 2-0 lead over Young Boys with around five minutes left at the stadium.
Malen's double there sparked furious scenes in the opposition stands, with visiting fans clashing with police. Scuffles broke out and projectiles hurled at both the officers and onto the pitch, with the player being hit on the head by a drinking vessel.
Lineups: Forest vs Malmö
The Reds: John Victor, Abbott, Milenkovic, Murillo, Morato, The midfielder, Sangare, Dominguez, McAtee, The winger, Kalimuendo.
Malmö FF: Ellborg, Larsen, Jansson, The defender, The full-back, Haksabanovic, Johnsen, The midfielder, Bolin, Gudjohnsen, Busanello.
Match official: The German referee (Germany)
Team News: Rangers v Braga
The Light Blues: Butland, The defender, The center-back, Djiga, Aarons, The midfielder, The midfielder, Raskin, Gassama, Danilo, The striker.
The Portuguese side: Hornicek, The defender, Lagerbielke, Niakate, Arrey-Mbi, Zalazar, Joao Moutinho, The midfielder, The attacker, Navarro, The striker.
Official: Allard Lindhout (from Netherlands)
Preamble
The European clash and memories of 1979. The these sides have a unique relationship, also facing each other in Forest's most recent continental tour in the mid-90s European competition, but it is the premier competition final from 1979 that connects these teams, with the record-breaking signing the English forward heading the only goal of a largely forgettable match to clinch eternal glory for the the English club.
"Brian Clough and Peter Taylor, modestly dressed amid all the excitement and joy, stood for a moment on a bench calmly observing the revelry," wrote the match reporter. This represented an outstanding achievement that it is unlikely to be replicated – from the lower league to European stage in three seasons."
Worth mentioning to reflect upon Malmö, who became the pioneering and only Swedish club to reach the final under English manager Bob Houghton.
The current fixture is a very different to that summit, closer perhaps to the earlier European encounter between Forest and Malmö in that era. Forest are riding high after thrashing Liverpool at the famous ground on Saturday, while Malmö haven't played officially since 9 November following the completion of Allsvenskan. The popular prediction is on the English side tonight.
Additional games on offer in this clockwatch. Rangers have already been lost to a Portuguese opponent this season. Rangers are at the foot of the league rankings at the midpoint of the league phase with precisely zero points. They urgently require a victory if they are to have any chance of achieving a late surge for a knockout position.
We'll keep you up to date with all the evening matches and provide the latest scores from the previous games, including Aston Villa v Young Boys and Rotterdam vs Glasgow.
