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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” was chanted through the City Ground as Nottingham Forest fans reveled in a further result against their Swedish opponents. Much has occurred since Francis's winning header clinched the European Cup in 1979, but Forest still treasure those glorious moments. Similarly, significant changes have occurred in the five weeks since the manager took charge, with the team appearing refreshed and securing a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of advancing in the European competition.

Building Momentum with Third Consecutive Win

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for nearly a month after finishing sixth in their home competition – marked a third consecutive triumph across every tournament and added to the momentum generated from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of the club's historic triumph in name, the game itself was devoid of any real jeopardy or jitters.

It proved to be an occasion filled with nostalgia, an longed-for reunion and the third competitive meeting between the sides since the showpiece event over four decades past.

Forest fully embraced the heritage, paying tribute to the legends of that era by giving them, along with their Malmö opponents, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Malmö's team from that time were also in attendance. Both teams shared a dinner together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates received a tumultuous welcome when they assembled on the pitch a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically impressive display was unveiled in the Trent End.

Remembering the Past

“30th May 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left,” read one part of a giant banner, in capital letters. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was revealed as the squads emerged from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. Another brilliant tifo showed Clough observing proceedings beside his right-hand man Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Outset

So, the hosts had soaked up those wonderful recollections, but what about the performance on the evening? It was strong, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an attempt off target inside two minutes and built a two-goal advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined Forest aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defense led by their own homegrown skipper, Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The Forest centre-back Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a defender and into the pathway of the midfielder, who swept home right-footed from the edge of the penalty area to register his maiden strike since March.

Second Strike Confirms Control

Yates was involved in Forest’s second goal on the brink of the interval, as well, his unmarked header saved by the shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the loose ball from point-blank range. McAtee, the midfielder given a seldom start and only his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was deflected aside off the defender Rösler, son of former Man City striker Uwe, and an free Milenkovic also earlier had a powerful header instinctively saved by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was the Swedish side's first match since the domestic league concluded on November 9th, and they found it hard to equal the home team's intensity. Forest made it 3-0 when the defender applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo headed back a corner. Yates had a shot stopped, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

Forest then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a effort on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from 30 yards. It was that kind of nights. The manager, mindful of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made seven changes from the side that stunned Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs during the second half.

Smooth Night for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free night for Forest. Dyche could withdraw Murillo with the match long since sewn up and later introduced 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche discussed the Forest old guard supplying “bits of gold” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the current crop demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, too.