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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” rang out through the City Ground as Forest followers celebrated another win against their Swedish opponents. Much has transpired since Francis's decisive header clinched the European Cup back in 1979, but Forest continue to treasure those glorious moments. Similarly, major shifts have taken place in the weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and securing a comfortable victory thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of advancing in the Europa League.

Building Steam with Third Straight Win

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing sixth in their domestic league – marked a third straight triumph 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 European Cup triumph in name, the encounter itself was free of any real jeopardy or nerves.

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

The home side fully embraced the heritage, honoring the legends of 1979 by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Swedish club’s squad from then were additionally present. The two clubs enjoyed a meal together before the match. Forest legends and their teammates were given a rousing reception when they gathered on the pitch a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically superb tifo was shown in the home stand.

Remembering the Past

“May 30, 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” displayed one part of a large tifo, in block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was unfurled as the squads emerged from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant display showed Brian Clough observing proceedings beside his right-hand man Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those wonderful memories, but what about the performance on the night? It was pretty good, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an attempt off target inside two minutes and established a 2-0 advantage by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who came to the club as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the Malmö defence captained by their own homegrown skipper, Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford FC. The home centre-back Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a defender and into the pathway of the midfielder, who finished with his right foot from the edge of the penalty area to register his first goal since last March.

Second Strike Seals Control

Yates was involved in Forest’s second goal on the brink of half-time, as well, his free header saved by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but the alert forward poised to tap in the loose ball from point-blank range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a seldom start and only his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards Yates at the far post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was turned aside off Malmö back Rösler, the son of ex- Man City striker Uwe Rösler, and an free the defender had previously had a powerful header instinctively saved by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was Malmö’s initial game since the domestic league concluded on 9 November, and they found it hard to match Forest’s energy. Forest made it 3-0 when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. The captain had a volley blocked, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

Forest then pushed for more, with the winger dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from 30 yards. It was that kind of nights. The manager, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made multiple alterations from the side that surprised Liverpool at Anfield recently, when they also netted three goals, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs midway through the final period.

Smooth Night for Forest

It turned out to be a hiccup-free night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the match already sewn up and later introduced teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. He talked about the Forest old guard supplying “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are able of producing of excitement, as well.