🔗 Share this article

“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” rang out through the ground as Forest supporters celebrated another result against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has transpired since Francis's decisive header secured the European Cup back in 1979, but the club still hold dear those glorious moments. Equally, major shifts have occurred in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team appearing reinvigorated and earning a convincing victory thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of advancing in the Europa League.

Building Steam with Third Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had not played for almost three weeks after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – represented a third consecutive win across all competitions and further built on the momentum generated from the previous week's stunning victory at Liverpool. While this fixture was a re-run of the club's European Cup success in spirit, the game itself was free of any significant tension or nerves.

This was an occasion dripping in sentiment, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third clash between the teams since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

Forest fully embraced the heritage, honoring the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their visiting opponents, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were also in attendance. Both teams shared a dinner together prior to the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company received a rousing welcome when they assembled on the pitch 15 minutes before kick-off, and a typically superb tifo was shown in the Trent End.

Remembering the Past

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left,” displayed half of a large banner, in capital letters. While no one needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. A second stunning display depicted Brian Clough observing events beside his right-hand man Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Outset

So, Forest had drunk in those wonderful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was impressive, too. They were in complete control from the moment the forward whistled an effort off target inside two minutes and built a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. Nicolás 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 joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence captained by their own academy product skipper, Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford FC. The Forest defender Milenkovic saw a delivery 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 last March.

Second Strike Seals Dominance

The scorer was implicated in Forest’s next goal on the brink of half-time, as well, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward poised to tap in the rebound from close range. James McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the catalyst, lofting a perfect ball towards Yates at the back post.

A minute earlier, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was deflected wide off Malmö defender Colin Rösler, son of ex- Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked the defender had previously had a strong header instinctively repelled by Ellborg, who was back in place of the former Villa goalie Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to equal the home team's energy. The Reds made it 3-0 when the defender scored after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. Yates had a volley blocked, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

Forest then went for the jugular, with the winger dinking a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic effort off target from 30 yards. It was that kind of nights. The manager, mindful of the upcoming league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made multiple alterations from the side that surprised the Reds at their ground recently, when they also netted three goals, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs midway through the second half.

Smooth Night for Forest

It turned out to be a flawless evening for Nottingham Forest. The coach could withdraw the defender with the game long since boxed off and later introduced 19-year-old defender Sinclair for his senior bow. He talked about the Forest old guard supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are able of producing of excitement, as well.