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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed around the ground as Nottingham Forest followers reveled in a further success against their Swedish opponents. Much has happened since Francis's decisive header clinched the European Cup back in the year 1979, but the club continue to cherish those glorious moments. Equally, major shifts have taken place in the weeks since the manager took charge, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and earning a comfortable win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of progressing in the European competition.

Building Steam with Another Consecutive Victory

For Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after ending sixth in their domestic league – represented a third straight win across every tournament and further built on the positive energy gained from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of Forest’s historic triumph in name, the encounter itself was devoid of any significant jeopardy or nerves.

This was an event dripping in sentiment, an longed-for meeting and the third clash between the teams since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

The home side fully embraced the history, paying tribute to the legends of 1979 by giving them, along with their visiting counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s team from then were also in attendance. The two clubs enjoyed a dinner together prior to the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a rousing welcome when they assembled on the field a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a typically impressive tifo was unveiled in the home stand.

Remembering the Past

“30th May 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left,” read one part of a giant tifo, in capital letters. While nobody needed reminding of what happened next, the rest was unfurled as the players emerged from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it continued. Another stunning tifo depicted Clough observing proceedings beside his assistant Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Outset

So, Forest had soaked up those beautiful recollections, but what about the performance on the evening? It was pretty good, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an effort off target inside two minutes and built a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who came to the club aged eight, made the first dent in the Malmö defence led by their own homegrown captain, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The Forest centre-back Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a defender and into the pathway of the midfielder, who swept home with his right foot from just inside the box to register his maiden strike since March.

Second Goal Confirms Control

Yates was involved in Forest’s next goal on the verge of the interval, too, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to tap in the loose ball from close range. McAtee, the midfielder handed a rare start and only his second appearance since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a delicious ball towards his teammate at the back post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was turned wide off the defender Rösler, the son of former Manchester City forward Uwe, and an unmarked Milenkovic had earlier had a strong header instinctively repelled by Ellborg, who returned in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalie Olsen.

Opponent's Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on 9 November, and they struggled to match the home team's energy. Forest extended the lead to three when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. Yates had a volley blocked, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

Forest then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a effort on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort wide from distance. It was one of those evenings. The manager, aware of the upcoming league game here against Brighton, made multiple alterations from the side that stunned the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he introduced substitutes and further fresh legs midway through the final period.

Smooth Night for the Team

It turned out to be a flawless night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could take off the defender with the game long since boxed off and subsequently introduced teenage full-back Sinclair for his senior bow. He discussed the club legends supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad demonstrated they are capable of producing of thrills, as well.