🔗 Share this article

“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” rang out through the City Ground as Nottingham Forest fans reveled in a further win against their Swedish opponents. Much has happened since Francis's winning header secured the European Cup back in 1979, but Forest still hold dear those memories. Equally, major changes have occurred in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team looking reinvigorated and earning a comfortable win thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of progressing in the Europa League.

Gaining Momentum with Third Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for nearly a month after finishing sixth in their domestic league – marked a third consecutive win across all competitions and further built on the positive energy gained from the previous week's success at Liverpool. While this fixture was a reminder of Forest’s historic success in spirit, the encounter itself was devoid of any real jeopardy or jitters.

It proved to be an occasion dripping in sentiment, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third clash between the sides since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

The home side fully embraced the heritage, honoring the legends of that era by giving them, along with their Malmö opponents, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Malmö's squad from then were additionally in attendance. Both teams enjoyed a dinner together before the match. Forest legends and their teammates were given a rousing reception when they assembled on the pitch a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically impressive tifo was unveiled in the home stand.

Remembering History

“30th May 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left,” displayed one part of a large tifo, in block capitals. While no one required a reminder of what happened next, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads emerged from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it stated. Another stunning tifo showed Clough watching proceedings beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, Forest had soaked up those wonderful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was impressive, too. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an effort wide inside the opening moments and built a two-goal advantage by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, had a go.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who came to Forest aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defense led by their own academy product skipper, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford FC. The Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a defender and into the path of the midfielder, who finished with his right foot from the edge of the penalty area to register his first goal since last March.

Second Goal Confirms Control

Yates was involved in Forest’s next goal on the brink of half-time, too, his unmarked header parried by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the loose ball from close range. McAtee, the midfielder given a rare start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was deflected wide off Malmö defender Colin Rösler, son of ex- Man City striker Uwe Rösler, and an free Milenkovic had previously had a powerful header smartly repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the domestic league concluded on 9 November, and they struggled to equal the home team's intensity. The Reds made it 3-0 when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a set-piece. Yates had a volley stopped, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a effort on to the bar before Sangaré sent an ambitious effort wide from 30 yards. It was one of those nights. The manager, aware of the upcoming league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made seven changes from the team that surprised the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they additionally scored three times, though he called on substitutes and Igor Jesus midway through the final period.

Smooth Evening for Forest

It proved a hiccup-free night for Forest. The coach could withdraw Murillo with the game already sewn up and subsequently brought on 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the club legends providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop showed they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, too.