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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” was chanted around the City Ground as Forest fans celebrated a further success against Malmö. Much has transpired since Francis's decisive header clinched the European Cup in the year 1979, but Forest continue to hold dear those glorious moments. Equally, major shifts have taken place in the weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and securing a convincing victory courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of progressing in the European competition.

Gaining Momentum with Third Straight Victory

For Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after ending in sixth place in their domestic league – marked a third consecutive win across every tournament and further built on the momentum generated from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of Forest’s historic triumph in spirit, the encounter itself was free of any significant jeopardy or jitters.

It proved to be an occasion filled with nostalgia, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third competitive meeting between the sides since the European Cup final over four decades past.

The home side fully embraced the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their Malmö opponents, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Swedish club’s squad from that time were additionally present. Both teams shared a dinner together before the kick-off. Forest legends and company were given a tumultuous welcome when they assembled on the pitch 15 minutes before the start, and a characteristically superb tifo was shown in the home stand.

Remembering the Past

“30th May 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” displayed one part of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was unfurled as the squads came out from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant display showed Clough observing events beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Outset

So, Forest had soaked up those beautiful memories, but what about the showing on the evening? It was strong, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an effort off target inside two minutes and established a 2-0 advantage by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, had a go.

It seemed appropriate that 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, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The home centre-back Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a defender and into the path of the midfielder, who swept home with his right foot from just inside the penalty area to score his first goal since last March.

Second Goal Confirms Dominance

The scorer was implicated in the team's next goal on the verge of the interval, as well, his unmarked header saved by the shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to tap in the loose ball from point-blank range. James McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and only his second appearance since September, was the spark, lofting a delicious ball towards Yates at the far post.

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

Opponent's Struggles

This was Malmö’s initial game since the domestic league concluded on 9 November, and they struggled to equal Forest’s energy. Forest extended the lead to three when the defender applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a set-piece. The captain had a shot blocked, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

Forest then pushed for more, with the winger dinking a effort on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic shot off target from 30 yards. It was that kind of nights. The manager, mindful of the upcoming league game here against Brighton, made seven changes from the team that stunned Liverpool at Anfield recently, when they additionally netted three goals, though he introduced substitutes and further fresh legs midway through the second half.

Smooth Night for Forest

It turned out to be a hiccup-free evening for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could withdraw Murillo with the match already sewn up and later introduced teenage defender Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad showed they are capable of producing of excitement, too.