🔗 Share this article Arnaud Kalimuendo Scores as Forest Claim Sentimental Victory Against Malmö “Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted around the ground as Nottingham Forest followers reveled in a further result against Malmö. A great deal has occurred since Francis's decisive header secured the continental trophy in the year 1979, but Forest still cherish those memories. Equally, major changes have taken place in the weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with Forest appearing refreshed and securing a convincing win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the Europa League. Building Momentum with Third Straight Victory For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – represented a third consecutive win across every tournament and further built on the momentum generated from the previous week's stunning victory at Liverpool. While this fixture was a reminder of Forest’s historic triumph in name, the game itself was free of any real jeopardy or nerves. It proved to be an event dripping in sentiment, an longed-for reunion and the third competitive clash between the teams since the European Cup final over four decades past. Forest fully embraced the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their visiting opponents, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Malmö's squad from that time were also in attendance. Both teams shared a meal together before the match. Forest legends and their teammates were given a rousing reception when they gathered on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a typically impressive tifo was unveiled in the Trent End. Remembering the Past “May 30, 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left,” read half of a large tifo, in capital letters. While no one required a reminder of what ensued, the remaining section was revealed as the squads came out from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second stunning tifo showed Clough watching events beside his assistant Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium. Dominance from the Start So, Forest had soaked up those beautiful recollections, but what about the performance on the night? It was pretty good, too. They were in full command from the moment the forward whistled an attempt wide inside the opening moments and built a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, had a go. It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who came to the club aged eight, made the first dent in the visitors' defense captained by their own academy product skipper, Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford. The Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a opponent and into the pathway of Yates, who swept home right-footed from just inside the box to register his first goal since March. Second Goal Confirms Dominance The scorer was implicated in the team's second goal on the brink of the interval, too, his unmarked header parried by the shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the rebound from point-blank range. McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, lofting a perfect ball towards his teammate at the back post. A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was turned wide off the defender Rösler, son of former Man City forward Uwe, and an unmarked the defender also previously had a strong header smartly repelled by Ellborg, who returned in place of the ex- Villa goalkeeper Olsen. Malmö’s Difficulties This was the Swedish side's initial game since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to equal Forest’s intensity. The Reds made it 3-0 when Milenkovic scored after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a set-piece. Yates had a volley stopped, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers. The home side then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from 30 yards. It was one of those evenings. Dyche, mindful of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented seven changes from the side that stunned Liverpool at their ground last weekend, when they also scored three goals, though he introduced substitutes and Igor Jesus during the second half. Smooth Evening for the Team It proved a flawless night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could withdraw the defender with the match long since sewn up and subsequently introduced 19-year-old defender Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the Forest old guard providing “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the current crop demonstrated they are able of producing of thrills, as well.