Nottingham Forest reached the Europa League quarter-finals after Midtjylland missed all three of their penalties in the last-16 second-leg shoot-out, while John McGinn inspired Aston Villa’s 2-0 win against Lille on Thursday.
Vitor Pereira’s Forest won 2-1 after extra-time at the MCH Arena in Denmark to level the tie at 2-2 on aggregate.
That set up the farcical shoot-out as Midtjylland’s Cho Gue-sung and Aral Simsir both hit the post before Edward Chilufya slipped and blazed over in the shoot-out.
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Morgan Gibbs-White, Ibrahim Sangare and Neco Williams converted Forest’s three kicks to extend the club’s first European campaign since 1995-96, when they reached the UEFA Cup quarter-finals.
“I’m buzzing we’re through. Penalties always nervy, always tough, but the lads stepped up and we’re really pleased,” Nottingham Forest captain Ryan Yates said.
“It’s not over yet – we’re still dreaming.”
The Premier League strugglers will play Porto in the quarter-finals after the Portuguese outfit beat Stuttgart 2-0.
“We are very happy. We proved today we came here to compete, that we have good players,” Nottingham Forest boss Vitor Pereira said.
“We played, in the first half, fantastic, away on this pitch. A very high level. Second half, with the subs, we kept going. I had the chance to balance the energy of the players to prepare the next game.
“When we win it is different. The spirit is different, the energy is different. The boys deserved it because they are a fantastic group. Very good players, with team spirit, character and we showed everything today.
“I don’t have any doubts we have the quality and we will compete to achieve our targets. And to thank our supporters – they deserve to keep playing in this Europa League.”
William Carvalho and Victor Froholdt netted to clinch Porto’s 4-1 aggregate victory, with Stuttgart’s Nikolas Nartey sent off in the closing stages.
Admitting he needed his players to be “fresh mentally and physically”, Pereira prioritised Sunday’s vital clash with relegation rivals Tottenham as he made nine changes from last weekend’s 0-0 draw against Fulham.
Forest’s understudies rose to the challenge and took the lead in the 41st minute.
Climbing to meet Nikola Milenkovic’s flick, Nicolas Dominguez craned his neck to loop a header over Elias Olafsson from six yards.
Midtjylland were breached again in the 52nd minute when Ryan Yates lashed home from 25 yards before Martin Erlic’s 69th minute reply for the hosts set up the shoot-out.
“It’s important, the energy and spirit is different when we win,” Pereira said.
“I don’t have any doubt that we have the quality. We will compete for our targets.”
At Villa Park, Unai Emery’s side, defending a 1-0 first-leg lead, went ahead in the 54th minute with a perfectly executed route one move.
Emiliano Martinez launched a mammoth kick towards Jadon Sancho and his pass across the Lille penalty area was tucked away with aplomb by McGinn.
It was the Scotland midfielder’s first goal since January 3 after two months on the sidelines with a knee injury.
Leon Bailey’s 86th-minute tap-in from Ollie Watkins’ pass ensured Villa advanced to a European quarter-final for a third successive season.
Villa’s dismal run of two wins from 10 Premier League games has put their bid to qualify for the Champions League in jeopardy.
Yet they have thrived in continental action and Emery remains in contention for a fifth Europa League crown after winning three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal.
“It wasn’t a pretty performance but the main thing is we are in the quarter-final,” McGinn said.
“The manager was giving me grief before the game to make sure I get in the box, so I was delighted to score.”
Villa’s quarter-final opponents will be Bologna, who beat Roma 4-3 in an all-Italian thriller at the Stadio Olimpico.
After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Jonathan Rowe put Bologna ahead in the 22nd minute, but Roma’s Evan N’Dicka equalised 10 minutes later.
Federico Bernardeschi’s penalty in first half stoppage-time and Santiago Castro’s 58th minute strike put Bologna 3-1 up.
Roma’s Donyell Malen converted a 69th minute penalty and Lorenzo Pellegrini equalised in the 80th minute.
But Nicolo Cambiaghi slotted home for Bologna in the 111th minute. Real Betis thrashed Greek side Panathinaikos 4-0, booking a tie against Sporting Braga, who routed Ferencvaros 4-0 on Wednesday.
Celta Vigo beat nine-man Lyon 2-0 in France to secure a 3-1 aggregate win. Lyon, who finished top of the league phase, were reduced to 10 men in the 19th minute when Senegal defender Moussa Niakhate was sent off for a foul on Javi Rueda.
Rueda ensured the Spanish side took advantage of their numerical superiority with a close-range finish in the 61st minute.
Ferran Jutgla scored in stoppage-time to wrap up the victory before Lyon’s Nicolas Tagliafico was dismissed for a second booking.
Celta will play Freiburg for a place in the semi-finals after the German side crushed Genk 5-1.
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