🔗 Share this article

“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” rang out through the stadium as Forest supporters celebrated another success against Malmö. A great deal has happened since Francis's decisive header secured the continental trophy back in the year 1979, but the club continue to cherish those memories. Equally, significant shifts have occurred in the weeks since the manager took charge, with Forest looking refreshed and securing a comfortable win thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of progressing in the European competition.

Building Momentum with Third Straight Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after ending sixth in their domestic league – marked a third straight win across every tournament and added to the positive energy generated from last weekend’s success at Liverpool. While this match was a reminder of Forest’s European Cup triumph in spirit, the encounter itself was devoid of any significant tension or jitters.

It proved to be an event filled with nostalgia, an longed-for reunion and the third clash between the sides since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

The home side leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the legends of 1979 by providing them, along with their visiting counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Malmö's team from that time were also in attendance. Both teams enjoyed a meal together before the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company were given a rousing reception when they assembled on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a typically impressive display was shown in the home stand.

Remembering the Past

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” read one part of a large tifo, in capital letters. While no one needed reminding of what happened next, the rest was revealed as the players emerged from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant display depicted Clough watching proceedings beside his right-hand man Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was impressive, too. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an attempt off target inside the opening moments and built a 2-0 advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined Forest aged eight, made the first dent in the visitors' defense led by their own academy product skipper, Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a opponent and into the pathway of the midfielder, who finished right-footed from the edge of the box to register his maiden strike since March.

Second Strike Seals Dominance

The scorer was implicated in Forest’s second goal on the brink of half-time, too, his free header saved by Malmö’s goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to tap in the loose ball from close range. McAtee, the midfielder handed a seldom start and only his second appearance since the autumn, was the catalyst, lofting a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was turned wide off Malmö back Colin Rösler, the son of former Manchester City forward Uwe, and an free the defender also previously had a powerful header smartly repelled by Ellborg, who was back in place of the former Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on November 9th, and they struggled to equal the home team's intensity. Forest extended the lead to three when the defender applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a set-piece. The captain had a volley stopped, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

Forest then pushed for more, with the winger dinking a effort on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an optimistic shot wide from distance. It was that kind of evenings. Dyche, mindful of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made seven changes from the team that stunned Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs midway through the final period.

Smooth Night for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could take off the defender with the match long since sewn up and later brought on teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the club legends providing “bits of gold” at regular meetings and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad showed they are capable of a few nuggets of thrills, too.