Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest remain on course for an all-English Europa League semi-final after wins that came in contrasting fashion tonight.
Villa eased past Lille 2-0 at Villa Park to complete a 3-0 aggregate triumph – goals from John McGinn and Leon Bailey proving decisive for Unai Emery’s men. Forest were pushed much harder, winning a penalty shoot-out at Midtjylland that followed a 2-1 triumph on the night.
Nicolas Dominguez and Ryan Yates scored for Forest to put them in control only for Martin Erlic to make it 2-2 on aggregate. The teams could not be separated in extra-time before Forest showed the greater poise in the shoot-out, converting all three spot-kicks while the Danes failed to beat Stefan Ortega.
A last-four clash between the two Premier League clubs is not a foregone conclusion, however, with Italian and Portuguese opposition standing in the way.
Forest will play Porto next following their 2-0 win over Stuttgart that secured a 4-1 aggregate win. Home goalkeeper Diogo Costa made a number of saves and William Gomes and Victor Froholdt got the goals as Francesco Farioli’s men went through. Stuttgart’s frustration was compounded by the dismissal of midfielder Nikolas Nartey.
Bologna are Villa’s next opponents after coming through an epic tussle with Roma.
A pulsating game was level at 3-3 after 90 minutes, 4-4 on aggregate. Nicolò Cambiaghi won it for the visitors nine minutes from the end of extra-time.
Freiburg hit Genk for five
In the other half of the draw, there were wins for Freiburg, Celta Vigo and Real Betis.
Freiburg thrashed Genk 5-1, comprehensively overturning a 1-0 first-leg defeat, and will next play Celta, who capitalised on the 19th minute dismissal of Lyon’s Moussa Niakhate to win 2-0 in France. Javi Rueda and Ferran Jutgla scored for the Spanish side with Lyon’s Nicolas Tagliafico also seeing red in a 3-1 aggregate defeat.
Braga, who completed a 4-2 aggregate win over Ferencvaros yesterday, will play Real Betis, following their 4-0 hammering of Panathinaikos courtesy of goals from Aitor Ruibal, Sofyan Amrabat, Cucho Hernandez and Antony.
The draw for the Europa League quarter-finals is:
Porto v Nottingham Forest
Bologna v Aston Villa
Freiburg v Celta Vigo
Braga in Real Betis
