“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” rang out through the stadium as Nottingham Forest fans celebrated another result against Malmö. A great deal has transpired since Francis's decisive header secured the continental trophy in 1979, but Forest continue to treasure those glorious moments. Similarly, significant shifts have occurred in the weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with the team looking refreshed and securing a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the European competition.
For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had not played for nearly a month after finishing in sixth place in their domestic league – marked a third consecutive triumph across every tournament and added to the momentum gained from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup success in name, the encounter itself was free of any significant jeopardy or nerves.
It proved to be an occasion dripping in sentiment, an longed-for reunion and the third competitive clash between the sides since the showpiece event over four decades past.
The home side leaned into the history, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by giving them, along with their visiting opponents, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Malmö's team from then were also present. The two clubs enjoyed a dinner together prior to the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company received a tumultuous welcome when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before kick-off, and a characteristically impressive display was shown in the Trent End.
“May 30, 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” displayed half of a large banner, in block capitals. While no one needed reminding of what ensued, the rest was unfurled as the players emerged from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. Another stunning tifo showed Brian Clough watching proceedings beside his right-hand man Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.
So, Forest had drunk in those wonderful recollections, but what about the performance on the evening? It was strong, as well. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an attempt off target inside the opening moments and established a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.
It seemed appropriate that Yates, who joined Forest 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. The home centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a opponent and into the path of Yates, who swept home right-footed from the edge of the box to register his maiden strike since March.
The scorer was implicated in Forest’s next goal on the verge of half-time, as well, his unmarked header saved by the shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the loose ball from close range. McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and just his second appearance since the autumn, was the catalyst, chipping a perfect ball towards Yates at the far post.
Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was deflected wide off the back Rösler, the son of former Manchester City forward Uwe, and an unmarked the defender had previously had a powerful header instinctively saved by Ellborg, who was back in place of the former Villa goalie Robin Olsen.
This was the Swedish side's initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on November 9th, and they found it hard to match Forest’s intensity. Forest made it 3-0 when the defender scored after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a corner. The captain had a shot blocked, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.
The home side then pushed for more, with the winger chipping a effort on to the bar before Sangaré sent an ambitious shot off target from distance. It was that kind of nights. Dyche, mindful of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented seven changes from the team that stunned the Reds at their ground recently, when they additionally netted three times, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus midway through the final period.
It turned out to be a hiccup-free evening for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could take off the defender with the match already boxed off and subsequently brought on 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. He discussed the Forest old guard providing “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop demonstrated they are able of a few nuggets of thrills, as well.
Elara is a seasoned gaming journalist with a passion for slot mechanics and player strategies.
