Nottingham Forest delivered a commanding performance in Istanbul, crushing Fenerbahce 3-0 in their Europa League knockout round first leg on Thursday evening. The victory marked an impeccable beginning for Vitor Pereira in his role as Forest manager, with goals from Murillo, Igor Jesus, and Morgan Gibbs-White securing a substantial advantage ahead of the return fixture at the City Ground.The match represented a significant milestone for the club, being their first European knockout encounter in three decades and their maiden competitive meeting against Turkish opposition.Forest dominated throughout, registering 17 attempts on goal while silencing the hostile home crowd with their clinical display.TRENDINGStoriesVideosYour SayThe breakthrough arrived in the 22nd minute through an unlikely source. Brazilian defender Murillo embarked on one of his characteristic surging runs forward, with Fenerbahce players opting to cover passing lanes rather than close him down.Reaching the edge of the penalty area, he struck a left-footed shot across goal into the bottom right corner, leaving goalkeeper Ederson with no chance.Forest doubled their advantage before the interval when Igor Jesus nodded in his seventh Europa League goal of the campaign. Gibbs-White, who will be hoping to travel with England for the World Cup this summer, proved instrumental, redirecting Elliot Anderson's inswinging corner towards the back post where Jesus waited unmarked to head home from close range.The Turkish supporters made their frustrations clear at the break, jeering their own players off the pitch following a first half in which Forest performed like seasoned European campaigners.Fenerbahce emerged with renewed urgency after the restart, with 19-year-old Sidiki Cherif forcing a superb reflex save from Stefan Ortega within minutes of the restart. However, Forest swiftly extinguished any hopes of a comeback.LATEST SPORT NEWSJose Mourinho imposes his own ban after racism storm that marred Benfica and Real Madrid matchChelsea's head coach Liam Rosenior slams racism in football as 'unacceptable' as he weighs in on rowFA Cup fifth round dates confirmed as Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City learn kick-off timesGibbs-White sealed the victory shortly after half-time, timing his run perfectly to collect Igor Jesus's through ball before sliding his finish beneath the advancing Ederson. The goal required a VAR review for two potential offside before being awarded.Fenerbahce's performance drew widespread criticism, with manager Domenico Tedesco receiving a booking for protesting a handball decision and making the questionable tactical choice to deploy top scorer Talisca in midfield while handing teenager Cherif a European debut up front.Forest's defensive work proved equally impressive, with Ibrahim Sangare tracking back effectively and the back line comfortably repelling Fenerbahce's crosses throughout the second half.Pereira had emphasised tactical organisation before the match, and his players delivered precisely that.The visitors now face Liverpool on Sunday before hosting the return leg, though the three-goal cushion provides considerable breathing room for the second encounter.Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter