🔗 Share this article

“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” rang out through the City Ground as Forest followers reveled in another win against Malmö. A great deal has transpired since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the continental trophy in the year 1979, but the club still cherish those memories. Equally, major changes have taken place in the weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team appearing refreshed and earning a convincing victory thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of progressing in the European competition.

Building Momentum with Third Straight Win

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing sixth in their domestic league – marked a third consecutive win across all competitions and further built on the positive energy gained from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this match was a reminder of the club's European Cup success in name, the game itself was devoid of any significant tension or jitters.

This was an occasion dripping in nostalgia, an longed-for meeting and the third competitive clash between the sides since the showpiece event over four decades past.

The home side fully embraced the history, paying tribute to the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their visiting opponents, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were additionally in attendance. The two clubs enjoyed a meal together prior to the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a tumultuous reception when they gathered on the field a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a characteristically superb tifo was unveiled in the Trent End.

Recalling the Past

“30th May 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left,” read half of a giant banner, in capital letters. While nobody required a reminder of what ensued, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads emerged from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it continued. Another brilliant tifo showed Clough observing proceedings beside his assistant Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Dominance from the Outset

So, Forest had soaked up those beautiful recollections, but what about the performance on the evening? It was impressive, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an effort wide inside two minutes and built a 2-0 lead by the break. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Ryan Yates, who came to Forest as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the visitors' defence captained by their own academy product skipper, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a defender and into the path of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the penalty area to score his first goal since March.

Another Goal Seals Dominance

The scorer was implicated in the team's next goal on the brink of half-time, as well, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s goalkeeper Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to tap in the loose ball from close range. James McAtee, the midfielder handed a seldom start and just his second outing since September, was the catalyst, chipping a delicious ball towards his teammate at the far post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was deflected aside off Malmö defender Rösler, the son of former Man City striker Uwe, and an free the defender also earlier had a powerful header instinctively repelled by the keeper, who returned in place of the ex- Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was Malmö’s initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on 9 November, and they struggled to equal Forest’s energy. Forest made it 3-0 when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. Yates had a shot stopped, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

The home side then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic effort off target from 30 yards. It was that kind of evenings. Dyche, mindful of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton, implemented multiple alterations from the team that surprised Liverpool at their ground last weekend, when they also scored three goals, though he introduced substitutes and Igor Jesus midway through the final period.

Hiccup-Free Evening for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free night for Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the game already sewn up and subsequently brought on 19-year-old defender Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the Forest old guard supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are capable of producing of excitement, too.