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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed through the ground as Forest followers reveled in another result against their Swedish opponents. Much has transpired since Trevor Francis’s decisive header clinched the European Cup in the year 1979, but the club still cherish those glorious moments. Equally, major changes have taken place in the weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with Forest looking refreshed and securing a convincing victory thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of progressing in the Europa League.

Building Momentum with Third Consecutive Win

For Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing sixth in their domestic league – marked a third consecutive win across all competitions and added to the positive energy gained from the previous week's stunning victory at Liverpool. While this fixture was a re-run of the club's historic triumph in spirit, the game itself was devoid of any real jeopardy or jitters.

This was an event dripping in sentiment, an longed-for reunion and the third competitive meeting between the teams since the showpiece event over four decades past.

The home side leaned into the history, paying tribute to the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their visiting opponents, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s squad from then were additionally in attendance. The two clubs enjoyed a meal together prior to the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a tumultuous welcome when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before kick-off, and a characteristically superb tifo was unveiled in the Trent End.

Recalling the Past

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” read half of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While nobody needed reminding of what ensued, the rest was unfurled as the players emerged from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it continued. Another stunning display depicted Brian Clough watching events beside his right-hand man Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Dominance from the Start

So, Forest had drunk in those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was impressive, too. They were in complete control from the moment the forward fired an attempt wide inside two minutes and established a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then 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' defence captained by their own homegrown captain, Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The home centre-back Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a opponent and into the path of the midfielder, who finished right-footed from just inside the penalty area to register his first goal since March.

Another Goal Seals Dominance

Yates was implicated in Forest’s second goal on the brink of the interval, too, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s goalkeeper Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the loose ball from point-blank range. James McAtee, the midfielder handed a seldom start and only his second appearance since the autumn, was the catalyst, lofting a perfect ball towards Yates at the back post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned aside off Malmö back Rösler, the son of ex- Man City forward Uwe, and an unmarked Milenkovic also previously had a strong header instinctively repelled by Ellborg, who was back in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's first match since the domestic league concluded on 9 November, and they found it hard to match the home team's energy. Forest made it 3-0 when the defender scored after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a corner. The captain had a volley blocked, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

Forest then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a effort on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious shot off target from 30 yards. It was that kind of nights. The manager, mindful of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented seven changes from the team that surprised the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he called on substitutes and Igor Jesus midway through the second half.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It turned out to be a hiccup-free night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could take off the defender with the game long since boxed off and later introduced teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the Forest old guard supplying “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad showed they are capable of producing of thrills, too.