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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted around the ground as Forest followers reveled in a further success against Malmö. A great deal has transpired since Trevor Francis’s decisive header clinched the European Cup back in 1979, but Forest still treasure those glorious moments. Equally, significant shifts have occurred in the five weeks since the manager took charge, with the team looking reinvigorated and earning a convincing victory thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of advancing in the European competition.

Gaining Momentum with Another Consecutive Win

For Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for nearly a month after finishing sixth in their home competition – marked a third consecutive win across every tournament and further built on the momentum gained from last weekend’s success at Liverpool. While this match was a re-run of Forest’s historic success in name, the encounter itself was devoid of any significant tension or nerves.

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

The home side fully embraced the history, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their visiting opponents, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Malmö's squad from then were also present. Both teams enjoyed a dinner together before the match. Forest legends and company were given a tumultuous reception when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before kick-off, and a characteristically superb tifo was shown in the Trent End.

Recalling the Past

“May 30, 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” read one part of a giant banner, in block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what ensued, the rest was revealed as the players came out from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it continued. A second brilliant tifo depicted Brian Clough observing events beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Outset

So, the hosts had drunk in those wonderful recollections, but what about the showing on the night? It was impressive, as well. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an attempt off target inside the opening moments and established a 2-0 advantage by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who joined Forest aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defense captained by their own academy product skipper, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a defender and into the pathway of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the box to score his first goal since March.

Second Strike Confirms Control

The scorer was involved in Forest’s second goal on the verge of half-time, too, his unmarked header parried by the goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the loose ball from close range. McAtee, the playmaker handed a rare start and only his second appearance since September, was the spark, chipping a delicious ball towards Yates at the back post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was turned aside off Malmö back Colin Rösler, the son of former Manchester City forward Uwe, and an unmarked Milenkovic had earlier had a powerful header instinctively saved by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Aston Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was the Swedish side's first match since the domestic league concluded on November 9th, and they struggled to match Forest’s intensity. Forest extended the lead to three when the defender 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 rebound.

Forest then went for the jugular, with the winger chipping a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic effort wide from 30 yards. It was that kind of evenings. The manager, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented multiple alterations from the team that stunned Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus midway through the final period.

Hiccup-Free Evening for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the match already sewn up and subsequently brought on teenage full-back Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the club legends supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop showed they are able of producing of excitement, too.