🔗 Share this article

“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed through the ground as Nottingham Forest supporters celebrated a further success against their Swedish opponents. Much has occurred since Francis's decisive header clinched the continental trophy back in 1979, but Forest continue to cherish those glorious moments. Similarly, significant changes have occurred in the weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with the team looking reinvigorated and securing a comfortable win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of progressing in the Europa League.

Gaining Momentum with Another Consecutive Win

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for nearly a month after ending sixth in their domestic league – marked a third consecutive triumph across all competitions and further built on the positive energy generated from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of the club's historic triumph in name, the game itself was free of any significant tension or nerves.

This was an occasion dripping in nostalgia, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third meeting between the sides since the European Cup final over four decades past.

Forest fully embraced the history, honoring the legends of 1979 by giving them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were also present. Both teams enjoyed a meal together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates received a rousing reception when they gathered on the pitch a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically superb display was unveiled in the Trent End.

Remembering the Past

“30th May 1979, John 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 happened next, the rest was revealed as the players came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. A second brilliant tifo showed Brian Clough watching events beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Outset

So, the hosts had soaked up those wonderful memories, but what about the performance on the night? It was impressive, as well. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an effort wide inside two minutes and built a 2-0 advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach 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 initial breakthrough in the Malmö defense captained by their own academy product skipper, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford FC. The home centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a defender and into the path of Yates, who finished right-footed from just inside the box to register his maiden strike since last March.

Another Goal Confirms Dominance

The scorer was involved in Forest’s second goal on the verge of half-time, as well, his free header saved by Malmö’s goalkeeper Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the loose ball from close range. James McAtee, the midfielder given a rare start and just his second appearance since September, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned aside off Malmö back Rösler, son of former Man City forward Uwe Rösler, and an free the defender also previously had a strong header instinctively repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the ex- Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was Malmö’s initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on 9 November, and they found it hard to match Forest’s intensity. Forest extended the lead to three when the defender applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a set-piece. The captain had a shot blocked, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

The home side then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from distance. It was that kind of nights. The manager, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented seven changes from the team that stunned Liverpool at Anfield recently, when they additionally scored three goals, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs midway through the second half.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Forest. Dyche could take off the defender with the game already sewn up and later introduced teenage defender Sinclair for his senior bow. He discussed the club legends providing “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop showed they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, too.