Aina Sets Up Hudson-Odoi as Forest Reach UEL Last 16

Super Eagles defender Ola Aina came off the bench and delivered the assist that sealed Forest’s comeback, as Nottingham Forest advanced 4-2 on aggregate past Fenerbahce into the UEFA Europa League last 16 on Thursday, February 27, 2026.

Nottingham Forest made hard work of it, but they’re through. Ola Aina came off the bench in the second half of Thursday’s Europa League playoff second leg and immediately changed the game, delivering the swinging cross that set up Callum Hudson-Odoi to hammer home his first European goal of the season. Forest lost the second leg 2-1 on the night but advanced comfortably 4-2 on aggregate, booking their place in the last 16. The tie was effectively over before it started. Forest manager Vitor Pereira took a 3-0 advantage from the first leg into Thursday’s return, which is why he felt confident enough to rotate, making six changes to his starting line-up. That rotation almost backfired badly. Fenerbahce rattled Forest and made the scoreline uncomfortable, but Aina’s intervention off the bench steadied things, and Hudson-Odoi’s goal put the tie fully beyond doubt. Former Leeds United and England striker Lucy Ward, analysing the match for TNT Sports via BBC, had specific praise for the Nigerian international after his cross unlocked the game.

What Ward Saw in Aina’s Contribution

“That is exactly what Forest needed. All of a sudden, everything changes. Ola Aina has put a few really good balls into the box, and he did very well there. That first touch from Hudson-Odoi is brilliant, and what a finish as well.”

— Lucy Ward, former Leeds United striker, TNT Sports via BBC

Ward’s point lands. The moment Aina entered, Forest’s right flank had a different energy. He didn’t just deliver one good cross. According to Ward, he put in “a few really good balls” into the box before Hudson-Odoi connected with the one that counted. That’s not luck. That’s a player who understands what a team needs in the moment and delivers it consistently.

Hudson-Odoi’s first touch was excellent, and the finish into the far corner was top quality. But without Aina’s delivery, none of it happens.

The Context: Rotation Risk That Nearly Cost Forest

Pereira’s decision to rotate heavily was understandable with a three-goal cushion and a Premier League fixture looming. But Fenerbahce exploited it. The Turkish side scored twice on the night, making it 2-0 before Forest responded. For a stretch, the tie was getting tighter than it needed to be.

Full aggregate picture: Nottingham Forest won the first leg 3-0, then lost the second leg 2-1 at the City Ground on February 27, 2026. They advance 4-2 on aggregate to the UEFA Europa League last 16, where they face either FC Midtjylland or Real Betis. Forest drew 2-2 with Betis in Spain during the league phase of the competition.

Aina’s introduction was part of the second-half reshuffle that helped settle the tie. His cross for Hudson-Odoi made it 1-2 on the night, and that was enough. Forest goes through. Fenerbahçe go home.

A Super Eagles Starter Who Keeps Delivering

At 28, Ola Aina is firmly in his prime. He signed a new long-term deal with Nottingham Forest in July 2025, a statement of trust from the club as it headed into its first season of European football. He’s made 11 Premier League starts in the 2025/26 season and has been rated among the top 10 right-backs in the Premier League this campaign by GiveMeSport, who placed him seventh on their rankings in December 2025.

None of that surprises those who’ve watched him closely. Aina doesn’t produce highlight-reel moments every week, but he’s consistently available, defensively sound, and capable of exactly the kind of delivery he produced on Thursday. That combination is rarer than it sounds.

Domestic concern: Forest’s Premier League form has been a different story. They sit 17th with 27 points from 27 games, and with only two wins since Christmas, the relegation battle is very real. Pereira’s rotation against Fenerbahce made sense in a European context, but the league situation means he can’t afford many more off-nights domestically.

What This Means for Aina and the Super Eagles

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle will have noted Thursday’s contribution. A full-back who can come on in a European pressure game and immediately influence play at both ends is exactly the kind of versatile option a national team manager needs. Nigeria’s right-back position has seen competition and debate over recent cycles, but Aina’s consistent club form makes him difficult to overlook.

His ability to deliver quality crosses in tight European moments also speaks to his technical confidence. This isn’t just a defender who gets the job done defensively. He’s a full-back who can genuinely affect games going forward, which is increasingly what modern international football demands from that position.

Editorial: Aina Is the Kind of Player Nigeria Needs More Of

There’s a version of this story where Ola Aina’s contribution gets buried. Forest won the tie comfortably over two legs. The second-leg loss was barely a story. Aina came on as a substitute, not a starter. It would be easy to overlook him entirely.

But that’s exactly what makes the moment worth examining. Coming on cold in a European knockout game, reading what the team needs, and then delivering a cross sharp enough to earn specific praise from a studio pundit: that’s the work of a technically polished, mentally composed footballer. Nigeria has too few players right now who combine Premier League regularity with European experience. Aina is one of them.

The concern is that Forest’s domestic situation might overshadow everything. If they go down, Aina’s next season looks very different from what it is now. That’s a conversation for later. For tonight, he did his job and then some.

What’s Next

Forest are in the Europa League last 16. That’s a genuine achievement for a club that was in the Championship not many years ago. Their next European opponents will be either FC Midtjylland or Real Betis. Neither fixture is a free pass. Betis gave Forest a real game during the league phase, and Midtjylland are no strangers to causing upsets in European competition.

For Aina, the priority now shifts back to domestic survival. Forest’s Premier League situation at 17th is urgent. He’ll need to be at his best in both directions over the coming weeks. Thursday showed he still has plenty to offer. Now comes the harder test.

📌 Did You Know?

Nottingham Forest advanced 4-2 on aggregate over Fenerbahce in the UEFA Europa League playoff round, having won the first leg 3-0 before losing Thursday’s second leg 2-1 at the City Ground.
Ola Aina signed a new long-term contract with Nottingham Forest in July 2025, committing his future to the club as they entered their first-ever Europa League campaign.
GiveMeSport ranked Aina as the 7th best right-back in the Premier League in December 2025, placing him ahead of Arsenal’s Ben White in their rankings.
Forest manager Vitor Pereira made six changes to his starting line-up for the second leg, a rotation gamble that nearly proved costly before Aina’s introduction helped steady the ship.
Callum Hudson-Odoi’s goal, set up directly by Aina’s cross, was the English winger’s first European goal of the 2025/26 season.
Nottingham Forest sit 17th in the Premier League with 27 points from 27 games as of February 27, 2026, making domestic survival the club’s most pressing challenge alongside their Europa League run.
In the Europa League last 16, Forest will face either FC Midtjylland or Real Betis. Forest drew 2-2 with Betis during the competition’s league phase in Spain earlier in the season.