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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” rang out through the ground as Nottingham Forest fans reveled in a further win against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the European Cup in the year 1979, but the club still hold dear those memories. Similarly, significant changes have occurred in the weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team looking refreshed and earning a comfortable win courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of advancing in the European competition.

Gaining Momentum with Third Consecutive Win

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing sixth in their domestic league – represented a third straight win 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 Forest’s historic triumph in spirit, the encounter itself was devoid of any real tension or jitters.

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

The home side leaned into the heritage, honoring the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were also in attendance. The two clubs enjoyed a meal together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company were given a rousing reception when they assembled on the pitch 15 minutes before kick-off, and a typically superb display was unveiled in the home stand.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left,” displayed half of a large tifo, in capital letters. While no one needed reminding of what happened next, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads emerged from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. A second brilliant display showed Brian Clough watching events beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Start

So, Forest had drunk in those wonderful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was pretty good, as well. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an effort off target inside two minutes and established a two-goal advantage by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, had a go.

It felt fitting that Yates, who came to the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence led by their own academy product skipper, Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The home centre-back Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a opponent and into the path of the midfielder, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the box to register his maiden strike since last March.

Second Strike Confirms Dominance

Yates was implicated in the team's second goal on the brink of half-time, too, his free header saved by Malmö’s goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised 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 spark, lofting a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

A minute earlier, Callum Hudson-Odoi driven shot was turned aside off the back Rösler, son of former Man City forward Uwe Rösler, and an free the defender had previously had a strong header instinctively saved by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on 9 November, and they found it hard to equal the home team's energy. Forest made it 3-0 when the defender applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a set-piece. The captain had a volley blocked, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

Forest then pushed for more, with the winger chipping a effort on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an optimistic effort off target from distance. It was one of those evenings. Dyche, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented multiple alterations from the side that surprised the Reds at Anfield last weekend, when they also netted three goals, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs during the final period.

Hiccup-Free Night for the Team

It turned out to be a hiccup-free evening for Forest. The coach could withdraw Murillo with the match long since boxed off and subsequently brought on 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. He discussed the club legends supplying “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the current crop demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of thrills, as well.