🔗 Share this article

“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed around the City Ground as Forest followers celebrated another win against their Swedish opponents. Much has happened since Trevor Francis’s decisive header clinched the continental trophy in 1979, but Forest still treasure those glorious moments. Similarly, major shifts have taken place in the weeks since the manager took charge, with the team appearing refreshed and securing a convincing win thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of advancing in the Europa League.

Gaining Steam with Another Consecutive Win

For Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after ending in sixth place in their domestic league – represented a third consecutive win across every tournament and further built on the positive energy generated from last weekend’s stunning victory at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of the club's historic success in spirit, the encounter itself was free of any real jeopardy or nerves.

This was an event filled with nostalgia, an longed-for meeting and the third clash between the sides since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

Forest leaned into the history, honoring the heroes of 1979 by giving them, along with their visiting counterparts, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Malmö's squad from that time were additionally in attendance. Both teams shared a meal together prior to the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates received a rousing reception when they assembled on the field a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a characteristically superb tifo was unveiled in the home stand.

Remembering History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” read half of a large banner, in capital letters. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was unfurled as the players emerged from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant display showed Brian Clough observing events beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Outset

So, the hosts had soaked up those beautiful memories, but what about the showing on the night? It was impressive, too. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an attempt wide inside two minutes and built a 2-0 lead by the break. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, had a go.

It felt fitting that Ryan Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the Malmö defence led by their own homegrown skipper, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford FC. The home centre-back Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a defender and into the pathway of the midfielder, who swept home right-footed from the edge of the penalty area to score his maiden strike since last March.

Another Strike Confirms Control

The scorer was involved in the team's second goal on the brink of half-time, as well, his free header saved by the shot-stopper Ellborg but the alert forward poised to convert the rebound from point-blank range. James McAtee, the midfielder given a seldom start and just his second outing since September, was the catalyst, chipping a delicious ball towards his teammate at the back post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was deflected wide off Malmö back Colin Rösler, the son of ex- Manchester City striker Uwe, and an unmarked Milenkovic had previously had a powerful header smartly repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Villa goalie Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was Malmö’s initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on November 9th, and they struggled to equal the home team's intensity. Forest made it 3-0 when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo headed back a set-piece. Yates had a volley stopped, 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 crossbar before Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from distance. It was one of those evenings. Dyche, mindful of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented multiple alterations from the team that stunned Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they also scored three goals, though he introduced substitutes and further fresh legs midway through the final period.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free night for Nottingham Forest. The coach could withdraw the defender with the game already boxed off and later introduced teenage full-back Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the club legends supplying “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad demonstrated they are able of a few nuggets of thrills, as well.