Recap Daily Mail Sport's live blog from Nottingham Forest hosting Aston Villa at the City Ground in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final.
By Will Griffee
That's all for tonight folks - thanks as every for your company and be sure to join us next week for the all important return legs.
Crystal Palace look like they're on the way to a European final the season after bagging an FA Cup, while Aston Villa and Forest is a tie that is very much still alive and kicking as both teams aim to end their trophy droughts.
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By Will Griffee
The match-winner told TNT Sport:
It's one leg of the tie. It's nice to have the advantage but going to Villa Park will be a tough game. They're good at their place. But we've done the job here at home and now hopefully we'll build into next week."
It's cup competitions. They come down to small margins at times. Both teams played very well. But it's small moments that can potentially change games. Thankfully it went in our favour tonight and hopefully again next week.
I wanted to get back fit and firing to help my team as best as I can at the end of the season. I knew we had a lot to play for when I was fighting to get fit and it's showing. It's some big competitions to be a part of.
We're in the crunch end of the season. We need to perform on both parts and we'll be looking to do that for sure.
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By Will Griffee
Sarr's early hammer blow set the tone for Palace tonight and gave them a nice cushion even though they were pegged back afterwards. The winger has a habit of scoring in big games and his 15 goals and seven assists in all competitions this campaign is a great return, especially considering he's been out injured at times.
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By Will Griffee
Full results today:
Europa League -
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Braga 2-1 Freiburg
Europa Conference League:
Shakhtar Donetsk 1-3 Crystal Palace
Rayo Vallecano 1-0 Strasbourg
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By Will Griffee
Oliver Glasner's side have polished off an almost perfect away leg in Poland and barring disaster next week should be playing in the Europa Conference League final next month.
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By Will Griffee
Tom Collomosse at the City Ground:
Some game. Maybe there weren’t loads of goals or clear chances but that was brilliant drama. Cannot wait for next week.
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By Will Griffee
Rocking All Over the World rings out at the City Ground and Forest have a crucial lead in the Europa League semi-final first leg. Next week they'll have to head to Villa Park to try and finish the job. Wood the scorer tonight from the spot - how glad they are to have him back and firing.
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By Will Griffee
Nottingham Forest have held firm in the last five minutes and are heading for a 1-0 victory. Jadon Sancho manufactures a yard of space for himself on the edge of the box after collecting a Watkins pass but his shot is straight down Ortega's throat, that will probably be it.
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By Will Griffee
What a night for Palace! Strand Larsen's late strike ensures the Eagles have one foot (claw!?) in the final. Kamada breaks away with Sarr on the right and Strand Larsen on the left. He feeds the former Wolves man, who cuts in and then dinks a lovely finish beyond the advancing keeper.
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By Will Griffee
Rogers can't believe it. For the second time in the game his England team-mate pops one through his legs. To make matters worse for the Villa star, it's part of a brilliant team move from Forest involving Gibbs-White who backheeled it before gathering a pass into the box and whipping in a dangerous cross. Forest look more likely to score again at the moment.
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By Will Griffee
Brilliant scenes at the City Ground when that penalty almost broke the net. These are great nights for the fans and it seems wild they're in a relegation battle in the Premier League.
Villa haven't mustered much of a response so far since the goal, as Anderson picks up the first yellow card of the game and McGinn's race is run - replaced by Sancho. Bogarde and Maatsen also come on.
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By Will Griffee
In a really tight game, that lapse of judgement, concentration or whatever you want to call it - is a really poor mistake. Emery will be seething inside but Villa now have 15 minutes to find an equaliser or head into the return leg a goal down.