Nottingham Forest moved a step closer to reviving their glorious European history as they prepare to meet Aston Villa for a place in the Europa League Final.
On an emotional night at the City Ground, Forest also players paid tribute to their grieving team-mate Elliot Anderson, who missed this game following the death of his mother.
It is not yet clear whether Anderson will return to action against Burnley on Sunday as Forest assess a bruising night on the pitch against FC Porto. Striker Chris Wood, defender Murillo and winger Callum Hudson-Odoi were all forced off with injury.
After Jan Bednarek was sent off for the foul that hurt Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White put Forest ahead and they wasted chances to make the game safe. Vitor Pereira’s men nearly paid the price in the second half, too, as William Gomes and Alan Varela hit the bar for Porto. Yet Forest clung on and will now face an all-English semi-final against Villa. The two clubs shared three European Cups in four years from 1979-82 and it should be an occasion to remember for both.
Yet it remains to be seen what impact this will have on Forest’s battle for Premier League survival. First Wood, who returned only last week after a five-month absence, lasted only 16 minutes before he walked off with a knee problem.
Then midway through the second half, Murillo and Callum Hudson-Odoi – himself a substitute – had to throw in the towel. Pereira would have wanted all three to play a key role for the rest of the season.
Forest are only three points above the relegation zone and while they would love to win the Europa League, dropping out of the top flight would cloud that achievement.
Trying to manage both ambitions has forced Pereira to juggle. He left Nikola Milenkovic, Hudson-Odoi and Igor Jesus on the bench here and handed Wood his first start at the City Ground since he sustained a knee injury here against Chelsea last October.
Forest rode their luck to draw last week’s first leg 1-1 and they nearly went behind inside a minute. Stefan Ortega saved instinctively from Terem Moffi and William Gomes hammered the rebound over the bar.
With less than eight minutes gone, Porto were reduced to 10 men. Initially Bednarek was not punished for the high challenge that dealt Wood a fearful blow on the right knee but after a VAR check, the centre-back was shown a straight red card.
Wood tried to continue but lasted only until the 16th minute – by which time, Forest were one up. Neco Williams robbed Alberto Costa and the ball ran free for Gibbs-White, whose shot deflected off Pablo Rosario and left Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa helpless. Gibbs-White’s team-mates joined him in holding up Anderson’s No8 shirt, which carried the message ‘Family first. We are all with you.’
Wood hobbled off and took his place in the Forest dugout, where strapping was applied to his knee. Last season’s top scorer had an operation on the other knee earlier in the season and Forest can ill afford to lose him again as they approach a finale that could shape their medium-term future.
With Porto a man down and looking a rabble, Forest should have finished the tie before half-time. Jesus replaced Wood and missed three excellent chances, two in the first half and another after the break.
Nicolas Dominguez headed wide from six yards and Dan Ndoye just failed to connect with Omari Hutchinson’s cross while Murillo also went close from the edge of the box. Porto felt Bednarek’s sending-off had been harsh and tempers threatened to explode late in the first half when Hutchinson had an angry exchange with a Porto official, who stormed from the dugout to confront the Forest winger.
And after Jesus’ third miss, Forest learned just how fragile their lead was. Seko Fofana lifted the ball to the far post and the unmarked Gomes smashed it against the underside of the bar.
Pereira had taken a calculated risk in picking such a strong team and he also lost Murillo and Hudson-Odoi. Hudson-Odoi had been on barely 20 minutes after replacing Hutchinson at half-time and he looked distraught, hiding his face in his shirt as he was applauded down the tunnel. With the game stretched, Varela’s strike from the edge of the box smacked the bar with Ortega beaten.
