🔗 Share this article Forest's Striker Scores Twice as Nottingham Forest Round Off Europa League Campaign with Win over Ferencvaros Igor Jesus has now notched 11 goals in all competitions for the club this season. At a Glance The home side were previously qualified to the play-offs. Bence Otvos deflection gives Nottingham Forest a first-half lead. The striker's fifth goal in Europe puts Forest in control. Striker adds a third with a sharp finish in the latter period. James McAtee caps a excellent performance with a spot-kick. The Brazilian attacker scored twice as the Premier League side rounded off the group stage of the Europa League with a convincing win against their Hungarian visitors at the City Ground. Forest had already secured a place in the knockout round play-offs and entered this fixture with a slim possibility of making the league's elite, although they required other matches to fall in their favor. That did not happen but this assured performance will give Forest fans belief that their side can come through the home-and-away tie to advance to the round of sixteen. Kristoffer Zachariassen struck the post with a headed effort inside the first 10 minutes for the away team – who are managed by former Tottenham striker Robbie Keane – but it was all Forest from then on. They broke the deadlock in the 17th minute when a delivery from midfield was turned into his own net by Bence Otvos and doubled the lead four minutes later – the striker firing an effort in at the back post for his tenth strike of the campaign. The forward's 11th came soon after the restart when he made a perfectly-timed run to escape the defence and then place a shot past the goalkeeper. The third strike killed off the visitors' hopes of making a comeback and instead Forest added a fourth when the excellent James McAtee scored from a spot-kick after a infringement by the unfortunate Otvos inside the box on the winger. The Europa League knockout phase play-off draw is scheduled on the final Friday of January (midday UK time), where Nottingham Forest might face either the Turkish side or Panathinaikos. "It is not just the result, there was that atmosphere about it. I want these players to do well as a unit, the whole squad," said Forest boss Sean Dyche. "That was another stride forward, but it is a positive one." Forest Analysis: Striker Shines as New Signing Observes from Stands Jesus has been a revelation for Forest in European competition this season with half of his 11 goals scored in the tournament. His brace also means he has got three goals in his last two games and the prospect of a challenge for his position in the forward line could be spurring him on. Napoli striker Lorenzo Lucca was last week signed on loan and he was watching this game from the directors' box. This development may well have been on the striker's mind as he was outstanding against Ferencvaros, producing two superb goals and generally being a menace to the visitors' defence with his speed and runs. Jesus was not the only one in catching the eye, with James McAtee turning in his best performance in a Nottingham Forest shirt since signing from the champions last summer, while the Swiss international also impressed. Such positive showings will give the club some renewed optimism as they turn their attention to increasing the gap from the Premier League relegation zone when they host Crystal Palace on Sunday. "All you can ask for is a reaction," added Dyche. "I've never questioned their commitment or their dedication or integrity. It is just go and show your quality. "James was excellent and Dan was incredibly lively. Jesus got another two and these are positive indicators." Star Performer #19 The Striker Average rating: 9.10 Forest Key Performers #19: Average Rating 9.10 J. McAtee: Average Rating 8.8 R. Yates: Average Rating 8.63 I. Sangaré: Rating 8.0 #31: Average Rating 7.9 Ferencváros Notable Players B. Yusuf: Average Rating 4.1 Júlio Romão: Rating 4.12 K. Zachariassen: Average Rating 4.1 Once the chance to rate players has ended, the score displayed is the mean from all the votes.