Roma and Aston Villa lost 1-2, Nottingham won a historic game.
Europa League 2025/26 Matchday 3: Roma and Aston Villa lost 1-2 to Plzen and Go Ahead Eagles respectively; Nottingham Forest beat Porto 2-0, winning their first European title since 1996.
A dramatic night in the Europa League saw two contenders from England and Italy both suffer bitter defeats, while City Ground celebrated after nearly three decades of waiting. AS Roma fell 1-2 to Viktoria Plzen at the Olimpico despite Paulo Dybala reaching the milestone of 200 career goals from the penalty spot. In the Netherlands, Aston Villa took the lead but lost 1-2 to Go Ahead Eagles after a missed penalty. Conversely, Nottingham Forest beat Porto 2-0 in a perfect debut for manager Sean Dyche, marking their first European victory since 1996.
Roma and Aston Villa both face pressure.
Roma 1-2 Viktoria Plzen: Dybala's 200th goal couldn't save the Olimpico.
The Olimpico were silenced in the first half. Viktoria Plzen caused a major upset with two quick goals from Prince Kwabena Adu and Cheick Souaré, putting Roma in a chasing position. Dybala rekindled hope with a successful penalty – his 200th career goal – but that was all the home side could do against a resilient and disciplined Plzen defense.
From a tactical standpoint, Roma were forced to push their lines higher after the break, but Plzen's dense defensive lines made their central attacking combinations lack creativity. The Italian team's effectiveness in the final third decreased, while Plzen managed the game well, preserving their advantage by narrowing space and minimizing errors in the penalty area.
Go Ahead Eagles 2-1 Aston Villa: Leading then collapsing due to psychological setbacks.
Aston Villa got off to a good start with Guessand opening the scoring. But the second half was a comeback for the Go Ahead Eagles: Mathis Suray equalized, before captain Mats Deijl sealed a 2-1 victory. The turning point came from the penalty spot – Buendía missed a golden opportunity, shattering Villa's momentum.
The game changed dramatically after the missed penalty: Villa had to push forward, leaving gaps behind. Go Ahead Eagles took full advantage of these transitional moments to punish them. Mentally, this defeat exposed their fragility in the pressure control phase, as Villa failed to finish off their opponents when they held the advantage.
Nottingham Forest 2-0 Porto: City Ground erupts, Dyche makes a perfect debut.
Two penalties, a display of discipline.
Returning to Europe after nearly three decades, Nottingham Forest opted for a simple yet effective approach: discipline and seizing opportunities. In the 20th minute, Morgan Gibbs-White opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Bednarek handled the ball. In the 77th minute, Igor Jesus sealed the victory with another coolly taken penalty. Porto were almost powerless to create any clear chances against the home team's solid defensive structure.
In terms of game management, Sean Dyche's team maintained good positional discipline, forcing Porto into multi-layered attacks with few threats to the penalty area. City Ground not only celebrated the 2-0 result but also witnessed a clear playing style in the debut match of their new manager.
Key statistics and important developments
- AS Roma 1-2 Viktoria Plzen: Adu and Souaré scored in the first half; Dybala reduced the deficit from the penalty spot (his 200th career goal).
- Go Ahead Eagles 2-1 Aston Villa: Guessand opens the scoring for Villa; Suray and Deijl come from behind; Buendía misses a penalty.
- Nottingham Forest 2-0 Porto: Gibbs-White penalty in the 20th minute; Igor Jesus penalty in the 77th minute; Porto frustrated by a disciplined defense.
- Fenerbahce 1-0 Stuttgart: Kerem Akturkoglu scored the only goal from the penalty spot; the Turkish side temporarily leads the group.
| Match | Score | Goal scorer | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| AS Roma - Viktoria Plzen | 1-2 | Dybala (pen); Adu, Souaré | Plzen scored both goals in the first half. |
| Go Ahead Eagles - Aston Villa | 2-1 | Guessand; Suray, Deijl | Buendía missed the penalty. |
| Nottingham Forest - Porto | 2-0 | Gibbs-White (20' pen), Igor Jesus (77' pen) | Forest won their first European title since 1996. |
| Fenerbahce - Stuttgart | 1-0 | Kerem Akturkoglu (pen) | Temporarily leading the group. |
Impact and prospects
For Roma, the defeat at the Olimpico shows that their slump shows no signs of stopping, especially in their ability to break down low defensive blocks. Aston Villa, after a bright start, needs to quickly address weaknesses in crucial moments – from penalties to defensive transitions. Conversely, Nottingham Forest sent a strong message about their comeback: a disciplined structure, sharpness from penalties, and the ability to control risk against an experienced opponent like Porto.
In other developments, Fenerbahce secured a crucial 1-0 victory against Stuttgart to temporarily take the lead in the group, increasing pressure on their rivals. The third matchday, therefore, not only brought shocks due to unexpected results but also reshaped the pace of the 2025/26 Europa League race.
