🔗 Share this article

“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed through the City Ground as Nottingham Forest fans reveled in a further result against Malmö. A great deal has transpired since Francis's winning header secured the European Cup in the year 1979, but the club still hold dear those glorious moments. Similarly, significant shifts have taken place in the weeks since the manager took charge, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and securing a convincing win courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the European competition.

Gaining Steam with Another Consecutive Win

For Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had not played for nearly a month after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – represented a third consecutive win across every tournament and further built on the positive energy generated from the previous week's stunning victory at Liverpool. While this fixture was a reminder of Forest’s historic success in name, the encounter itself was free of any real tension or nerves.

It proved to be an occasion filled with sentiment, an longed-for reunion and the third clash between the sides since the European Cup final over four decades past.

Forest leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the legends of 1979 by giving them, along with their Malmö opponents, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Malmö's squad from that time were also present. Both teams enjoyed a meal together before the match. Forest legends and company received a tumultuous 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 History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left,” read one part of a giant banner, in capital letters. While no one required a reminder of what ensued, the remaining section was revealed as the squads emerged from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. A second stunning display depicted Brian Clough watching events beside his right-hand man Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Dominance from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful memories, but what about the showing on the night? It was impressive, as well. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo fired an effort off target inside the opening moments and established a two-goal lead by the break. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the Malmö defence captained by their own homegrown skipper, Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford. The home centre-back Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a opponent and into the pathway of Yates, who swept home right-footed from the edge of the penalty area to score his first goal since March.

Another Goal Seals Dominance

Yates was involved in the team's second goal on the verge of half-time, too, his free header saved by Malmö’s shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the loose ball from point-blank range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a seldom start and just his second appearance since the autumn, was the catalyst, chipping a perfect ball towards Yates at the far post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was deflected wide off the defender Rösler, the son of ex- Man City forward Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked Milenkovic had previously had a powerful header smartly saved by the keeper, who returned in place of the former Villa goalie Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on November 9th, and they struggled to equal Forest’s energy. Forest made it 3-0 when the defender applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a corner. The captain had a volley stopped, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic shot off target from distance. It was one of those evenings. The manager, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made seven changes from the team that surprised Liverpool at their ground recently, when they also scored three goals, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus midway through the second half.

Smooth Night for the Team

It turned out to be a flawless evening for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could withdraw the defender with the match already sewn up and subsequently brought on teenage defender Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. He discussed the Forest old guard providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the current crop demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of thrills, too.