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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” rang out through the ground as Nottingham Forest fans celebrated a further win against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has transpired since Francis's decisive header secured the European Cup back in the year 1979, but the club still hold dear those glorious moments. Similarly, major changes have occurred in the weeks since the manager took charge, with the team looking reinvigorated and securing a convincing victory courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of progressing in the Europa League.

Gaining Momentum with Another Straight Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had not played for almost three weeks after ending sixth in their home competition – represented a third consecutive win across every tournament and further built on the momentum gained from the previous week's success at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of the club's historic success in name, the encounter itself was free of any real jeopardy or jitters.

This was an occasion dripping in nostalgia, an longed-for reunion and the third competitive meeting between the teams since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

Forest fully embraced the history, paying tribute to the legends of that era by providing them, along with their visiting opponents, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Malmö's squad from that time were additionally in attendance. The two clubs enjoyed a dinner together prior to the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a tumultuous welcome when they gathered on the pitch 15 minutes before kick-off, and a characteristically superb tifo was unveiled in the Trent End.

Remembering History

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” displayed half of a large tifo, in capital letters. While nobody required a reminder of what ensued, the remaining section was unfurled as the players came out from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. Another brilliant tifo depicted Brian Clough observing events beside his assistant Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Start

So, Forest had soaked up those wonderful recollections, but what about the performance on the night? It was pretty good, as well. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an attempt off target inside two minutes and established a two-goal advantage by the break. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who joined Forest aged eight, made the first dent in the visitors' defense captained by their own homegrown skipper, Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford. The home centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a defender and into the pathway of Yates, who swept home right-footed from the edge of the box to register his maiden strike since last March.

Another Goal Seals Dominance

The scorer was implicated in Forest’s next goal on the brink of the interval, as well, his unmarked header parried by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to tap in the loose ball from point-blank range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a rare start and just his second appearance since the autumn, was the spark, lofting a perfect ball towards Yates at the back post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was deflected aside off the back Colin Rösler, son of former Manchester City forward Uwe, and an unmarked Milenkovic had earlier had a powerful header instinctively repelled by the keeper, who returned in place of the former Aston Villa goalie Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on November 9th, and they struggled to match Forest’s intensity. The Reds made it 3-0 when the defender scored after his centre-back partner 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 chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an optimistic effort off target from distance. It was that kind of evenings. The manager, mindful of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton, made multiple alterations from the side that stunned Liverpool at their ground last weekend, when they also netted three goals, though he introduced substitutes and Igor Jesus during the second half.

Smooth Evening for Forest

It proved a hiccup-free night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could withdraw Murillo 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 supplying “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the current crop demonstrated they are able of producing of thrills, as well.