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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted around the ground as Forest followers celebrated another success against their Swedish opponents. Much has occurred since Francis's decisive header secured the European Cup back in 1979, but the club continue to cherish those memories. Equally, major shifts have occurred in the weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and earning a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of progressing in the European competition.

Building Steam with Another Straight Victory

For Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing in sixth place in their domestic league – represented a third consecutive win across all competitions and further built on the positive energy gained from the previous week's success at Anfield. While this match was a reminder of the club's European Cup triumph in spirit, the encounter itself was devoid of any significant tension or jitters.

This was an event dripping in nostalgia, an longed-for meeting and the third clash between the teams since the showpiece event over four decades past.

The home side fully embraced the history, honoring the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their visiting opponents, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Malmö's team from that time were additionally present. Both teams shared a meal together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company received a tumultuous welcome when they assembled on the field a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a characteristically superb tifo was shown in the home stand.

Recalling the Past

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” read half of a large tifo, in capital letters. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was revealed as the players came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. Another brilliant tifo showed Clough observing proceedings beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Outset

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful recollections, but what about the showing on the night? It was impressive, too. They were in complete control from the moment the forward fired an effort wide inside the opening moments and built a two-goal lead by the break. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the visitors' defense led by their own homegrown captain, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The home defender Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a defender and into the pathway of Yates, who finished with his right foot from just inside the box to register his first goal since last March.

Another Goal Seals Control

The scorer was implicated in Forest’s second goal on the brink of the interval, as well, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to tap in the loose ball from close range. James McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and just his second outing since September, was the catalyst, chipping a delicious ball towards his teammate at the back post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was turned aside off Malmö back Rösler, the son of ex- Manchester City forward Uwe, and an free the defender also previously had a strong header instinctively saved by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Aston Villa goalie Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the domestic league ended on November 9th, and they found it hard to match Forest’s energy. Forest extended the lead to three when the defender scored after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. Yates had a shot stopped, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

Forest then went for the jugular, with the winger dinking a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an ambitious shot wide from distance. It was one of those nights. The manager, mindful of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented multiple alterations from the side that stunned the Reds at Anfield last weekend, when they additionally scored three times, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus midway through the final period.

Hiccup-Free Night for the Team

It proved a flawless evening for Forest. Dyche could withdraw Murillo with the game already boxed off and subsequently introduced 19-year-old defender Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. He 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 excitement, as well.