A first-half strike from Morgan Gibbs-White clinched Nottingham Forest’s spot in the Europa League semi-finals with a 1-0 victory over Porto in the quarter-final second leg, completing a 2-1 aggregate triumph. The tie remained hanging in the balance heading into the match at the City Ground after the opening leg in Portugal concluded all square at 1-1. Securing their first European semi-final appearance since 1984 would require the Reds to press on without Elliot Anderson, as the midfielder remained unavailable following the loss of his mother.

Porto came out quickly, and Stefan Ortega was called upon to keep out Terem Moffi’s effort within the opening moments. The away side’s numerical advantage was quickly diminished when Jan Bednarek received his marching orders for a dangerous tackle on Chris Wood. Referee Danny Makkelie consulted the pitch-side monitor after a VAR review before showing the red card.

Wood’s evening was cut short as a result of that challenge, with the forward departing shortly after Morgan Gibbs-White had broken the deadlock in the 12th minute. The Forest number 10 demonstrated solidarity with Anderson by unveiling a shirt displaying his teammate’s name and the number 8 after beating Diogo Costa with a deflected effort, bearing the message: “Family first, we are all with you.”

Despite holding a one-goal lead and an extra player, Vitor Pereira’s outfit did not have things entirely their own way. Both sides carved out opportunities, with William Gomes striking the post for Porto in the second half. The home side’s injury problems deepened as Callum Hudson-Odoi and Murillo both had to be substituted during the closing stages.

Tension filled the air along the banks of the Trent as Forest continued to battle. Porto struck the woodwork once more in the closing moments before Nicolas Dominguez sent an effort wide for the hosts. Forest held firm to arrange a last-four meeting with Premier League counterparts Aston Villa.

Here is how Reds reporter Sarah Clapson rated the Forest players at the City Ground.

Stefan Ortega: Required to act shortly after kick-off and performed well to deny Moffi. Had to stay sharp throughout as Porto remained dangerous throughout the evening despite playing with 10 men. Rating: 7.5/10

Ola Aina: Faced considerable work as the visitors pushed forward. Attempted to provide an attacking threat when possible, though circumstances made it difficult. Rating: 7/10

Jair Cunha: Managed adequately in his first appearance since sustaining an injury against Midtjylland in the previous round. Gives Pereira the option to utilize a three-man defense again during the run-in. Rating: 7/10

Murillo: Needed treatment in the second half and it came as little surprise when the Brazilian was substituted shortly after. Forest will hope the issue is not serious, though he at least walked off the pitch unassisted. Rating: 7/10

Neco Williams: Impressive once more. The Welsh international continues to perform consistently in the Garibaldi. Persisted throughout the evening, contributing going forward and standing strong at the back. Rating: 8.5/10

Ibrahim Sangare: Saw plenty of possession as he attempted to control the game. It was a demanding assignment, with Forest’s midfield certainly facing a difficult evening. Rating: 7.5/10

Nicolas Dominguez: Showed plenty of commitment from the Argentine. It was not an easy watch, however, as Porto continued to press. Came close to scoring in the dying stages. Rating: 7/10

Omari Hutchinson: Provided reasonable energy and offered an outlet, though end product was inconsistent. A booking just before halftime may have influenced the decision to remove him at the break. Rating: 6.5/10

Morgan Gibbs-White: Where would the Reds be without their number 10? Has stepped up significantly in the second half of the campaign and delivered again with his 12th goal of the season. Rating: 8/10

Dan Ndoye: Another opportunity not quite seized by the wide player. Appears more comfortable on the right but still needs to contribute more when given a chance to impress. Rating: 6/10

Chris Wood: Attempted to continue after Bednarek’s poor challenge. Forest will be encouraged that the striker walked off upon being substituted, with the Porto player catching the opposite knee to the one Wood had previously undergone surgery on. Rating: 6/10

Subs

Igor Jesus (for Wood, 16mins): Had chances to add to his Europa League tally. Did not particularly look like scoring on this occasion. Rating: 6.5/10

Callum Hudson-Odoi (for Hutchinson, 46mins): Appeared extremely disappointed when coming off. Was clearly dealing with an injury and had been struggling for some time before being replaced. Rating: 7/10

Nikola Milenkovic (for Ndoye, 65mins): Should have brought composure to the defense. Porto made for a tense finish, creating several opportunities. Rating: 7/10

Morato (for Murillo, 72mins): Introduced when Forest were forced into an injury substitution. Did enough to help them see out the victory, though it was not a polished performance from the hosts. Rating: 7/10

Dilane Bakwa (for Hudson-Odoi, 72mins): Fresh legs provided some energy. Found it difficult to influence the game, however, as it was a tense finish. Rating: 6/10

Subs not used: Sels, Willows, Lucca, Yates, McAtee, Abbott, Sinclair.