🔗 Share this article

“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed around the stadium as Nottingham Forest followers celebrated another success against Malmö. Much has transpired since Francis's decisive header secured the continental trophy in the year 1979, but the club continue to cherish those memories. Similarly, major shifts have occurred in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team looking reinvigorated and securing a comfortable win courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of advancing in the Europa League.

Gaining Steam with Another Straight Win

For Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had not played for almost three weeks after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – marked a third straight triumph across all competitions and further built on the positive energy generated from the previous week's success at Liverpool. While this fixture was a reminder of the club's European Cup success in spirit, the game itself was devoid of any real tension or jitters.

This was an occasion dripping in sentiment, an longed-for meeting and the third meeting between the sides since the European Cup final over four decades past.

Forest fully embraced the history, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by giving them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Malmö's team from that time were also present. Both teams enjoyed a dinner together before the match. Forest legends and their teammates received a rousing welcome when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before kick-off, and a characteristically impressive display was unveiled in the home stand.

Recalling the Past

“30th May 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” read half of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the remaining section was revealed as the squads emerged from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it continued. Another brilliant tifo showed Brian Clough observing proceedings beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, Forest had soaked up those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the night? It was strong, too. They were in full command from the moment the forward whistled an effort off target inside the opening moments and built a two-goal advantage by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Ryan Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the Malmö defense captained by their own homegrown skipper, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford. The home centre-back Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a opponent and into the pathway of Yates, who finished with his right foot from the edge of the box to register his maiden strike since March.

Second Goal Confirms Dominance

Yates was involved in the team's next goal on the brink of the interval, as well, his free header parried by Malmö’s goalkeeper Ellborg but the alert forward poised to convert the rebound from close range. McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and only his second appearance since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a delicious ball towards Yates at the back post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was deflected aside off Malmö defender Colin Rösler, son of former Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked the defender also previously had a powerful header instinctively repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the ex- Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Malmö’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 energy. Forest extended the lead to three when the defender applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a corner. Yates had a volley stopped, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with the winger dinking a effort on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort wide from 30 yards. It was one of those evenings. The manager, mindful of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made multiple alterations from the side that surprised the Reds at Anfield recently, when they additionally netted three goals, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs midway through the final period.

Hiccup-Free Evening for Forest

It turned out to be a hiccup-free night for Forest. Dyche could withdraw Murillo with the game already boxed off and later introduced teenage full-back Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard providing “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the current crop demonstrated they are able of producing of excitement, too.