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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” was chanted through the City Ground as Forest followers reveled in another result against their Swedish opponents. Much has happened since Francis's winning header secured the European Cup in the year 1979, but Forest still treasure those memories. Similarly, major shifts have taken place in the five weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with Forest looking refreshed and earning a convincing victory courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the Europa League.

Gaining Steam with Third Straight Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for nearly a month after ending sixth in their domestic league – marked a third consecutive win across all competitions and further built on the momentum generated from last weekend’s stunning victory at Liverpool. While this match was a re-run of the club's European Cup success in spirit, the game itself was free of any real tension or jitters.

It proved to be an occasion filled with sentiment, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third competitive meeting between the sides since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

The home side fully embraced the heritage, paying tribute to the legends of that era by giving them, along with their Malmö opponents, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Malmö's team from that time were additionally in attendance. Both teams shared a dinner together before the match. Forest legends and company were given a rousing reception when they assembled on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a typically superb display was shown in the home stand.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” displayed one part of a giant banner, in capital letters. While no one needed reminding of what ensued, the rest was revealed as the squads came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. A second stunning tifo showed Brian Clough watching proceedings beside his assistant Peter 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 showing on the night? It was strong, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an attempt wide inside two minutes and established a 2-0 lead by the break. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Ryan Yates, who came to Forest aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defence captained by their own homegrown captain, Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford. The Forest defender Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a opponent and into the path of the midfielder, who finished right-footed from just inside the penalty area to score his maiden strike since March.

Second Strike Confirms Dominance

The scorer was implicated in the team's next goal on the verge of half-time, too, his unmarked header saved by the goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to tap in the loose ball from close range. James McAtee, the midfielder handed a rare start and just his second appearance since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards Yates at the far post.

A minute earlier, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was deflected wide off the defender Rösler, the son of ex- Manchester City forward Uwe Rösler, and an free the defender had previously had a powerful header smartly repelled by Ellborg, who was back in place of the ex- Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Difficulties

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they struggled to match the home team's intensity. The Reds extended the lead to three when the defender scored after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. The captain had a volley stopped, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

The home side then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a effort on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious shot wide from 30 yards. It was that kind of nights. The manager, mindful of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton, implemented seven changes from the team that surprised the Reds at Anfield last weekend, when they also scored three goals, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs during the final period.

Hiccup-Free Night for Forest

It turned out to be a flawless evening for Forest. Dyche could withdraw Murillo with the match long since boxed off and subsequently brought on 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard providing “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the current crop demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of thrills, as well.