🔗 Share this article

“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” rang out around the ground as Forest fans celebrated a further result against Malmö. Much has occurred since Trevor Francis’s winning header secured the European Cup in 1979, but the club still cherish those glorious moments. Similarly, major changes have taken place in the weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with Forest appearing refreshed and earning a convincing win courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of progressing in the European competition.

Building Momentum with Third Consecutive Win

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for nearly a month after ending in sixth place in their home competition – marked a third consecutive win across every tournament and added to the momentum gained from last weekend’s stunning victory at Anfield. While this fixture was a reminder of the club's historic success in spirit, the game itself was devoid of any real jeopardy or nerves.

It proved to be an event filled with sentiment, an longed-for reunion and the third competitive meeting between the teams since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

The home side leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their visiting opponents, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s team from then were also present. Both teams shared a dinner together prior to the match. Forest legends and their teammates received a tumultuous welcome when they gathered on the pitch a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically impressive display was unveiled in the home stand.

Remembering the Past

“30th May 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” read half of a large banner, in block capitals. While nobody needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads emerged from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it continued. A second brilliant display showed Brian Clough watching events beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those wonderful recollections, but what about the showing on the evening? It was strong, as well. They were in full command from the moment the forward whistled an attempt off target inside two minutes and established a 2-0 advantage by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who joined the club aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence led by their own academy product captain, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford. The Forest centre-back Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a opponent and into the path of the midfielder, who swept home right-footed from just inside the box to register his first goal since March.

Another Strike Seals Control

Yates was involved in the team's next goal on the brink of the interval, too, his free header parried by the shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward poised to convert the rebound from point-blank range. James McAtee, the midfielder handed a seldom start and only his second outing since September, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

A minute earlier, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was turned wide off the defender Colin Rösler, son of former Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked the defender also earlier had a powerful header smartly repelled by Ellborg, who returned in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the domestic league ended on November 9th, and they struggled to match the home team's intensity. Forest made it 3-0 when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a set-piece. Yates had a shot blocked, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an optimistic shot 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 side that stunned the Reds at Anfield last weekend, when they additionally scored three goals, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus midway through the second half.

Smooth Night for Forest

It proved a flawless evening for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could take off the defender with the match already boxed off and subsequently introduced teenage defender Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the Forest old guard supplying “bits of gold” at regular meetings and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad showed they are able of producing of thrills, too.