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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” rang out around the ground as Forest fans reveled in another win against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has transpired since Francis's decisive header secured the European Cup back in 1979, but Forest continue to hold dear those memories. Similarly, major changes have occurred in the weeks since the manager took charge, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and securing a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of advancing in the European competition.

Building Steam with Third Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had not played for almost three weeks after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – marked a third straight win across every tournament and further built on the positive energy gained from the previous week's success at Liverpool. While this match was a reminder of Forest’s historic triumph in spirit, the game itself was free of any significant jeopardy or jitters.

It proved to be an event dripping in sentiment, an longed-for meeting and the third competitive meeting between the sides since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

The home side fully embraced the history, honoring the legends of that era by giving them, along with their visiting counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Malmö's squad from that time were also present. Both teams shared a dinner together before the kick-off. Forest legends and their teammates received a rousing reception when they gathered on the field a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a characteristically superb display was unveiled in the Trent End.

Remembering the Past

“May 30, 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” displayed half of a large tifo, in capital letters. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was revealed as the squads came out from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant tifo showed Clough observing proceedings beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the night? It was pretty good, too. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo fired an effort off target inside two minutes and established a 2-0 advantage by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, had a go.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who came to the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defense led by their own academy product captain, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford FC. The home defender Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a opponent and into the pathway of the midfielder, who finished with his right foot from just inside the penalty area to register his maiden strike since last March.

Second Strike Confirms Dominance

The scorer was involved in Forest’s second goal on the brink of half-time, too, his free header saved by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to tap in the rebound from close range. McAtee, the midfielder handed a seldom start and just his second appearance since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned aside off the back Rösler, the son of former Man City striker Uwe Rösler, and an free Milenkovic had earlier had a strong header smartly saved by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they struggled to match the home team's energy. Forest made it 3-0 when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a corner. The captain had a volley stopped, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

Forest then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from distance. It was that kind of nights. Dyche, mindful of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented seven changes from the team that surprised Liverpool at their ground last weekend, when they additionally netted three times, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus during the second half.

Hiccup-Free Evening for the Team

It proved a flawless night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could withdraw the defender with the match already boxed off and later brought on teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. He talked about the Forest old guard providing “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are able of a few nuggets of thrills, too.