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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed through the ground as Nottingham Forest supporters reveled in a further result against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header secured the European Cup back in the year 1979, but the club continue to hold dear those glorious moments. Equally, significant shifts have taken place in the weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and earning a convincing victory thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of progressing in the European competition.

Building Steam with Another Straight Win

For Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after ending in sixth place in their home competition – marked a third consecutive win across every tournament and further built on the momentum generated from last weekend’s success at Liverpool. While this fixture was a reminder of Forest’s European Cup success in name, the game itself was devoid of any significant jeopardy or nerves.

This was an occasion filled with sentiment, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third competitive clash between the teams since the European Cup final over four decades past.

Forest leaned into the history, honoring the heroes of 1979 by giving them, along with their visiting opponents, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Swedish club’s squad from that time were additionally in attendance. The two clubs enjoyed a dinner together before the match. Forest legends and their teammates received a tumultuous reception when they assembled on the pitch a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a characteristically impressive tifo was shown in the Trent End.

Remembering the Past

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left,” read one part of a large tifo, in block capitals. While nobody needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was revealed as the players emerged from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it stated. Another brilliant display showed Clough observing proceedings beside his assistant Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those wonderful recollections, but what about the performance on the night? It was strong, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an effort wide inside two minutes and built a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Ryan Yates, who joined Forest as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defence led by their own academy product captain, Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a opponent and into the path of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the box to score his maiden strike since last March.

Another Strike Seals Dominance

The scorer was implicated in the team's second goal on the verge of half-time, too, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to tap in the loose ball from point-blank range. McAtee, the midfielder given a rare start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, lofting a delicious ball towards his teammate at the far post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned aside off the back Colin Rösler, son of former Man City forward Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked Milenkovic had earlier had a strong header instinctively repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the ex- Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to equal Forest’s intensity. Forest made it 3-0 when the defender applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo headed back a corner. Yates had a volley stopped, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a effort on to the bar before Sangaré sent an ambitious effort wide from 30 yards. It was one of those evenings. Dyche, mindful of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made seven changes from the team that stunned the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he called on substitutes and Igor Jesus during the second half.

Hiccup-Free Evening for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free night for Forest. The coach could withdraw the defender with the game already sewn up and later introduced teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. He talked about the club legends providing “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.