Nottingham Forest paid tribute to their 1979 European Cup-winning heroes in style with a 3-0 win over Malmo in the Europa League.
Brian Clough’s Forest conquered Europe 46 years ago when Trevor Francis’ goal against the Swedish side gave them a 1-0 success in Munich.
Nostalgia was in full supply ahead of kick-off, with most of the living players from that famous night paraded on the City Ground pitch as well as a two-minute film projected onto the Brian Clough Stand.
And although the stakes were much lower this time in a league phase match, Forest were again victorious thanks to goals from Ryan Yates, Arnaud Kalimuendo and Nikola Milenkovic.
The current crop have their own desires of triumphing in Europe and kept themselves in contention for finishing in the top eight of a congested league table after five games.
Victory for Forest continued the upward trend under boss Sean Dyche, who has now delivered three wins in a row amid a five-match unbeaten run in all competitions, with the unsettling spell at the start of the season seemingly behind them.
Dyche’s men took advantage of coming up against a Malmo side who were playing their first competitive match since 9 November.
Callum Hudson-Odoi dragged a shot wide in just the third minute while Nicolas Dominguez also put a spearing header just off target.
The breakthrough came in the 28th minute and it was perhaps fitting that a homegrown Forest player was the scorer. Milenkovic’s cross deflected invitingly into the path of Yates and the skipper coolly slotted home from 12 yards.
It should have been 2-0 just 10 minutes later but Kalimuendo shot too close to Melker Ellborg, with Milenkovic putting his header from the resulting corner straight at the Malmo goalkeeper.
The second did come on the stroke of half-time as Kalimuendo broke his Forest duck. The Frenchman was on hand to tap home his first goal for the club after Ellborg had spectacularly clawed away Yates’ header from a James McAtee cross.
Forest made it 3-0 just before the hour when Milenkovic converted from close range after Yates’ volley fell into his path, with the goal surviving a lengthy VAR check for offside.
Hudson-Odoi then clipped the crossbar as Forest chased more goals, but three was enough as they took the foot off the pedal with Sunday’s visit of Brighton in mind.
