Kalimuendo Scores as Nottingham Forest Secure Sentimental Win Against Malmö

“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” was chanted through the ground as Nottingham Forest fans reveled in a further success against Malmö. Much has transpired since Trevor Francis’s decisive header secured the continental trophy back in the year 1979, but the club continue to hold dear those glorious moments. Equally, significant shifts have taken place in the weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with the team appearing reinvigorated and earning a comfortable win courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of advancing in the European competition.

Gaining Momentum with Another Straight Victory

For Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had not played for nearly a month after finishing sixth in their domestic league – marked a third consecutive triumph across every tournament and further built on the positive energy generated from the previous week's stunning victory at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup success in spirit, the game itself was devoid of any real jeopardy or nerves.

It proved to be an event filled with nostalgia, an eagerly awaited meeting 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 heroes of 1979 by giving them, along with their visiting opponents, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Swedish club’s squad from that time were also in attendance. Both teams enjoyed a meal together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates received a rousing welcome when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before kick-off, and a typically superb display was unveiled in the home stand.

Recalling the Past

“30th May 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left,” read one part of a large tifo, in capital letters. While nobody needed reminding of what happened next, the remaining section was unfurled as the players came out from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. A second stunning tifo depicted Brian Clough observing proceedings beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Outset

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful memories, but what about the showing on the evening? It was pretty good, as well. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an attempt off target inside two minutes and built a two-goal lead by the break. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined the club aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence captained by their own academy product captain, Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford. The home defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a opponent and into the pathway of the midfielder, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the box to register his first goal since March.

Second Goal Seals Dominance

The scorer was implicated in Forest’s next goal on the brink of the interval, too, his free header parried by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to convert the loose ball from close range. McAtee, the midfielder given a rare start and only his second appearance since the autumn, was the catalyst, lofting a delicious ball towards Yates at the back post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned wide off Malmö back Rösler, son of former Man City forward Uwe, and an unmarked Milenkovic had previously had a powerful header smartly repelled by Ellborg, who returned in place of the ex- Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was the Swedish side's first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on 9 November, and they found it hard to match the home team's energy. The Reds made it 3-0 when the defender applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. Yates had a volley blocked, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

The home side then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an optimistic effort wide from 30 yards. It was that kind of evenings. The manager, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented multiple alterations from the side that stunned the Reds at Anfield recently, when they additionally scored three goals, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs midway through the final period.

Hiccup-Free Night for Forest

It turned out to be a hiccup-free evening for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the game already boxed off and subsequently brought on 19-year-old defender Sinclair for his first-team debut. He discussed the Forest old guard providing “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the current crop showed they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, too.