Nottingham Forest v Malmö, Rangers vs Braga, and Additional – UEFA Europa League Updates
Live Updates
Major Moments
- Full-time: Aston Villa 2-1 Young Boys
- Score!: Aston Villa 2-1 Young Boys (Joël Monteiro 90+1)
- Game over: Feyenoord defeated 1-3 by Celtic
- Lineups announced: Starting players for Forest vs Malmö
- Team news: Rangers and Braga lineups
- Introduction
League Position
These early results have significant impact on the league rankings. Celtic have moved up to 17th position and returned to the secure knockout positions.
| Rank | Team | Matches | Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Final Score: Aston Villa 2-1
Villa managed to hold on for the victory and became tied on points with table-toppers Midtjylland at the top of the group rankings. The English side made hard work of that at the end.
GOAL! Aston Villa 2-1 Young Boys (Joël Monteiro 90+1)
Young Boys earned a lifeline through Monteiro but only have stoppage time to find an equaliser!
Glasgow Side Wins 3-1
A memorable and crucial win for the Scottish team. Although they went 1-0 down, Celtic responded strongly with goals from Yang Hyun-jun, the Japanese midfielder and the Swedish striker.
Game Developments
The Birmingham side, concurrently, retained a 2-0 lead over Young Boys with roughly 300 seconds left at their home ground.
The Dutch forward's brace there triggered intense reactions in the visitors' section, with Young Boys supporters clashing with police. Scuffles broke out and projectiles hurled at both the police and at the playing surface, with the goalscorer being hit on the head by a drinking vessel.
Lineups: Forest vs Malmö
Forest: John Victor, Abbott, Milenkovic, The defender, Morato, Yates, Sangare, Dominguez, The attacker, The winger, Kalimuendo.
The Swedish side: The goalkeeper, Stryger Larsen, Jansson, The defender, Rosler, Haksabanovic, Johnsen, Skogmar, The attacker, Gudjohnsen, Busanello.
Official: The German referee (from Germany)
Team News: Rangers v Braga
The Glasgow side: Butland, The defender, Fernandez, Djiga, Aarons, The midfielder, The midfielder, Raskin, Gassama, The forward, Chermiti.
The Portuguese side: Hornicek, Gomez, The center-back, Niakate, Arrey-Mbi, Zalazar, Joao Moutinho, Gorby, Martinez, Navarro, The striker.
Match official: The Dutch referee (Holland)
Match Background
Forest vs Malmö and past encounters. The these sides have a special connection, also competing in Forest's most recent continental tour in the mid-90s European competition, but it is the continental championship from 1979 that entwines these two together, with Britain's first £1m player Francis scoring the winner of a pretty miserable final to clinch eternal glory for the the English club.
"The legendary management duo, unassuming and low-key amid all the colour and celebration, stood for a moment on a bench quietly watching the celebrations," noted the journalist. This represented an outstanding achievement that it is difficult to imagine happening again – from second tier to European football in three seasons."
Worth mentioning to pause a little on Malmö, who became the pioneering and only Nordic team to make the championship match under manager Houghton.
This match is a very different to that pinnacle, closer perhaps to the earlier European encounter between Forest and Malmö in that era. Forest are absolutely buzzing after defeating Liverpool convincingly at Liverpool's home on Saturday, while Malmö haven't played officially since 9 November following the end of the Swedish league season. The popular prediction is on the English side tonight.
Plenty of other action on offer in this clockwatch. Rangers have already been beaten by a European rival this season. Rangers are last place of the 36-team Europa League standings at the half-way stage of the initial phase with precisely zero points. They desperately need a victory if they are to have any opportunity for a comeback for a qualification place.
Updates will continue with all the evening matches and provide the most recent results from the earlier matches, including Aston Villa v Young Boys and Rotterdam vs Glasgow.
