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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed around the stadium as Nottingham Forest followers celebrated another win against Malmö. A great deal has occurred since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the continental trophy in 1979, but Forest still cherish those memories. Similarly, significant shifts have occurred in the five weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with the team appearing refreshed and securing a comfortable victory thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of advancing in the European competition.

Building Momentum with Third Straight Win

For Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had not played for nearly a month after ending in sixth place in their home competition – represented a third consecutive win across all competitions and added to the positive energy generated from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this match was a reminder of the club's historic success in name, the encounter itself was free of any real tension or jitters.

It proved to be an event filled with sentiment, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third clash between the sides since the European Cup final over four decades past.

The home side leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their visiting counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Malmö's team from that time were additionally present. The two clubs enjoyed a meal together prior to the match. Forest legends and their teammates were given a tumultuous welcome when they gathered on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically impressive display was shown in the Trent End.

Recalling History

“30th May 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left,” read half of a giant banner, in block capitals. While no one required a reminder of what happened next, the remaining section was revealed as the squads emerged from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant tifo depicted Clough observing proceedings beside his right-hand man Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Start

So, the hosts had soaked up those wonderful recollections, but what about the performance on the evening? It was impressive, as well. They were in full command from the moment the forward fired an effort wide inside two minutes and established a two-goal advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Ryan Yates, who joined Forest as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defence led by their own academy product skipper, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The home defender Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a defender and into the pathway of Yates, who finished right-footed from the edge of the penalty area to score his maiden strike since March.

Second Goal Confirms Control

Yates was implicated in Forest’s second goal on the brink of the interval, as well, his unmarked header saved by the goalkeeper Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the rebound from close range. James McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and only his second appearance since the autumn, was the spark, lofting a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

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

Opponent's Struggles

This was Malmö’s initial game since the domestic league concluded on 9 November, and they found it hard to equal Forest’s energy. The Reds made it 3-0 when Milenkovic scored after his defensive colleague Murillo headed back a set-piece. Yates had a volley blocked, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

Forest then pushed for more, with the winger dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious shot off target from 30 yards. It was one of those nights. The manager, mindful of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented seven changes from the team that stunned the Reds at Anfield last weekend, when they also netted three goals, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs during the final period.

Smooth Night for Forest

It proved a hiccup-free night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could withdraw the defender with the game long since sewn up and later brought on 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, as well.