🔗 Share this article

“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” rang out through the City Ground as Forest fans celebrated a further win against Malmö. Much has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the European Cup in the year 1979, but Forest continue to cherish those glorious moments. Equally, major changes have occurred in the weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with the team appearing reinvigorated and securing a convincing victory courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of advancing in the Europa League.

Building Momentum with Another Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for nearly a month after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – marked a third consecutive triumph across all competitions and added to the momentum gained from the previous week's success at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of the club's European Cup triumph in spirit, the game itself was free of any significant tension or jitters.

It proved to be an event filled with sentiment, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third competitive clash between the teams since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

The home side leaned into the heritage, honoring the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their visiting counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s team from then were also in attendance. Both teams enjoyed a meal together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett 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 superb tifo was shown in the home stand.

Remembering History

“30th May 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” displayed half of a large banner, in capital letters. While nobody required a reminder of what ensued, the remaining section was unfurled as the players emerged from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. Another brilliant tifo depicted Clough observing events beside his right-hand man Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Outset

So, Forest had soaked up those beautiful recollections, but what about the performance on the night? It was pretty good, too. They were in full command from the moment the forward fired an attempt wide inside the opening moments and built a two-goal advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Abbott, on his first European start, had a go.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence captained by their own academy product skipper, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford. The home centre-back Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a defender and into the path of the midfielder, who finished with his right foot from just inside the penalty area to score his first goal since March.

Second Strike Seals Control

The scorer was involved in the team's next goal on the verge of half-time, as well, his unmarked header saved by the goalkeeper Ellborg but the alert forward poised to convert the rebound from close range. James McAtee, the midfielder handed a seldom start and only his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a delicious ball towards Yates at the far post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was turned aside off Malmö defender Colin Rösler, the son of former Man City forward Uwe, and an unmarked the defender also previously had a strong header instinctively saved by the keeper, who returned in place of the former Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on 9 November, and they struggled to equal the home team's energy. The Reds made it 3-0 when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. The captain had a shot blocked, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

Forest then pushed for more, with the winger chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an optimistic effort wide from 30 yards. It was that kind of nights. The manager, aware of the upcoming league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made multiple alterations from the team that surprised the Reds at Anfield recently, when they additionally netted three goals, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus during the final period.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It proved a flawless evening for Nottingham Forest. The coach could withdraw the defender with the match already boxed off and subsequently brought on 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. He talked about the Forest old guard providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are able of producing of thrills, too.