Nottingham Forest suffered a 1-0 defeat to FC Midtjylland in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie late Thursday evening. South Korean striker Cho Gue-Sung scored the decisive goal in the 80th minute at a rain-soaked City Ground to secure the victory for the Danish club.
The hosts dominated possession and registered 23 shots, generating an expected goals metric of 1.76 compared to Midtjylland’s 0.69. Despite the statistical advantage, Forest failed to convert their chances in the final third. The match was played through a severe downpour, with swirling winds and deep puddles forming on the pitch during the second half.
Midtjylland capitalized on the missed opportunities late in the game. Ousmane Diao delivered a cross that Cho headed past the defense, rising above Ola Aina to find the net. The result marks Midtjylland’s second victory at the City Ground this season, following a 3-2 win during the competition’s league phase in October 2025.
The defeat compounds a difficult period for Nottingham Forest under manager VÃtor Pereira. The club is currently on a five-match winless streak across all competitions and sits just above the Premier League relegation zone on goal difference. Midtjylland, by contrast, has won 12 of their last 14 matches in European competitions, continuing a strong run of form in this Europa League round.
🚨 CHO GAME WINNER
Cho Gue-sung 🇰🇷 wins it for FC Midtjylland 🇩🇰 against Nottingham Forest!
It’s his second goal this season in the Europa League.
Great start to 2026 for Korea’s strikers 🙌 #조규성 #FCM
pic.twitter.com/M0rmTUUZTt— Fighting Stripes Football (@FSFootball_) March 12, 2026
Nottingham Forest will travel to Denmark to face Midtjylland in the second leg of the tie on March 19, 2026. Midtjylland currently holds an unbeaten home record this season.