🔗 Share this article

“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed around the City Ground as Forest supporters celebrated another result against Malmö. A great deal has transpired since Francis's decisive header clinched the European Cup back in the year 1979, but Forest continue to treasure those memories. Equally, significant shifts have taken place in the weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with Forest looking refreshed and earning a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of progressing in the European competition.

Gaining Momentum with Another Straight Victory

For Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had not played for almost three weeks after finishing sixth in their home competition – marked a third consecutive triumph across all competitions and further built on the momentum gained from last weekend’s stunning victory at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of the club's European Cup success in name, the encounter itself was devoid of any real tension or jitters.

This was an event filled with nostalgia, an longed-for meeting and the third clash between the teams since the European Cup final over four decades past.

The home side fully embraced the history, honoring the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their Malmö opponents, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Malmö's squad from then were additionally present. The two clubs shared a meal together before the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company were given a rousing welcome when they assembled on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically impressive tifo was unveiled in the home stand.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” displayed half of a giant banner, in block capitals. While no one required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was unfurled as the squads came out from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. Another brilliant display showed Brian Clough observing events beside his assistant Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Outset

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was impressive, as well. They were in complete control from the moment the forward fired an effort off target inside the opening moments and established a two-goal advantage by the break. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined Forest as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the visitors' defence led by their own homegrown skipper, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford FC. The home centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a defender and into the pathway of the midfielder, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the penalty area to register his maiden strike since March.

Another Strike Seals Control

The scorer was implicated in the team's second goal on the verge of half-time, too, his free header saved by the goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to tap in the loose ball from close range. James McAtee, the midfielder handed a rare start and only his second appearance since the autumn, was the catalyst, chipping a perfect ball towards Yates at the back post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was turned aside off the back Rösler, son of ex- Man City striker Uwe, and an unmarked Milenkovic had previously had a powerful header smartly saved by Ellborg, who was back in place of the former Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Opponent's Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on November 9th, and they found it hard to match the home team's energy. The Reds extended the lead to three when Milenkovic scored after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. Yates had a shot stopped, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

The home side then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a effort on to the bar before Sangaré sent an ambitious shot wide from 30 yards. It was one of those nights. Dyche, aware of the upcoming league game here against Brighton, implemented seven changes from the side that surprised Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they also scored three goals, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs during the final period.

Smooth Night for Forest

It proved a hiccup-free night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could take off the defender with the match long since boxed off and later introduced teenage defender Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad showed they are capable of producing of excitement, too.