Vitor Pereira enjoys dream start as Forest ease to first-leg win at Fenerbahce
Goals from Murillo, Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White made it a memorable night for Forest.
Vitor Pereira enjoyed a dream start to his Nottingham Forest reign as his new side put one foot in the last 16 of the Europa League with a 3-0 romp at Fenerbahce.
Pereira was taking charge of Forest for the first time after he became their fourth manager of a chaotic season and it could not have gone better as they took a decisive lead in the play-off round first leg in Istanbul.
Goals from Murillo, Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White made it a memorable night for Forest as life after Sean Dyche began in freescoring fashion.
The victory means that, barring a disaster in next week’s second leg at the City Ground, Forest will earn a last-16 tie against Real Betis or Midtjylland.
Pereira’s main brief in his new role is to ensure Forest retain their Premier League status and this performance should give confidence going into Sunday’s home game with Liverpool.
The Portuguese knows all about the atmosphere at the Chobani Stadyumu, having had two spells in charge of the Turkish club.
And he watched his side negate the early hostility with an accomplished start that saw them take the match by the scruff of the neck.
They took a deserved lead in the 21st minute, silencing the whistling fans.
Elliot Anderson passed to Murillo in the centre circle and the Brazil defender charged up the pitch and lashed a low shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards.
It was almost two moments later as Jesus played on, with Fenerbahce captain Milan Skriniar – the former Liverpool defender – down injured in the middle of the pitch.
Jesus wriggled into the box and had a fierce shot, but it hit Jayden Oosterwolde and went out from a corner.
The chances kept on coming as Gibbs-White headed straight at Ederson from eight yards out, Jesus could not direct a deflected free-kick goalwards and Callum Hudson-Odoi had a shot blocked.
Forest survived a scare before the break as a VAR check came back in their favour when Talisca’s shot hit the arm of Murillo, but it was ruled to be in a natural position.
And that proved pivotal as they doubled the lead in the 43rd minute.
Gibbs-White flicked on Anderson’s corner at the near post and Jesus was waiting at the back to nod home on the line.
It was his sixth Europa League goal in seven games.
Fenerbahce had to come up with something in the second half and they almost got one back just 20 seconds after the restart when Sidiki Cherif got in down the right, but his effort was tipped over the crossbar by Stefan Ortega.
Any hopes of a home comeback were killed in the 50th minute as Forest went 3-0 up.
Jesus broke the offside trap and squared for Gibbs-White, who scooped the ball home from 12 yards.
It could have been even better, but Nicolas Dominguez whipped an effort over from a great position inside the area and Ederson got down well to deny Neco Williams.
