17 August 2024
Nott’m Forest 1 Bournemouth 1
Nuno Espirito Santo will be looking for big improvements from his Forest team this season as they look to avoid getting dragged into another relegation dogfight. One of their problems last season was not winning enough games at the City Ground, something they need to address. Bournemouth were the visitors for the season opener, themselves looking to start life without talisman Dominic Solanke.
The game started off as a cagey affair with both sides struggling to find a foothold in the game. Forest were playing some neat passing football but too many loose passes in the final third gave away possession all too easily. Under Iraola Bournemouth have gained a solidity and confidence that they can go anywhere and win. The City Ground was to prove a stern test of that.
Some good interplay saw Yates with a chance to get a shot off at goal but Neto got down well to make a smart save. Ever the poacher, Wood was on hand to slot home the rebound and the ground erupted. It was the perfect start from the hosts. Iraola will not be happy with any of the build-up that led to Forest opening the scoring, it was the opposite of what he has turned this side into.
Wood was proving the perfect target man for the hosts and was a constant worry for the Bournemouth defence. Gibbs-White lifted a ball in towards the back post but it just had a bit too much on it for the Kiwi to get on the end of it. The visitors were struggling to contain the hosts and it seemed a matter of time before they doubled their lead.
As Forest recycled the ball in the heart of their midfield, Elanga cut inside and let rip from some distance. Neto had to get down to the bottom corner of his goal to save and parried it well wide of the target. With Wood sniffing around in the penalty area the Bournemouth keeper had evidently learnt from his mistake for the opening goal.
The Cherries finally gave Sels something to be concerned about as Sinisterra shot from the edge of the box. Forest managed to get bodies on the line as it took two deflections before going out for a corner. As the cross came in, the hosts were at sixes and sevens as they tried to hack it clear. Eventually it dropped to Ouattara who drilled the ball into the back of the net.
VAR intervened and informed the referee that Cook was offside in the build-up and to disallow the goal. It silenced the away end and gave Forest a warning that this Bournemouth side were capable of punishing them if they didn’t put the game away. That had been the visitors’ first shot on target of the game and seemed a real kidney punch to Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
Nott’m Forest continued to create half-chances but they were rarely testing Neto in the visitors goal. Yates saw a shot blocked before Williams made a run from deep but his first-time effort sailed into the crowd behind the goal. Creativity has never been a problem for this team but often they do not score enough goals to kill games off that they dominate.
Bournemouth were starting to get forward more and as the ball was played out to Semenyo, he dropped his shoulder and cut inside. He then drilled a shot towards the far corner but it was just the wrong side of the post. The visitors were starting to look dangerous on the counter-attack and you felt that Forest needed that second goal if they were to win this game.
Hudson-Odoi cut onto his right foot in the box and struck a crisp strike at goal but Neto got down to make a brilliant save. As the ball fizzed through a crowded penalty area the keeper must have seen the ball very late, making it all the more impressive. The Cherries went straight down the other end and almost equalised but Sinisterra’s shot was blocked by Sels.
Into the second half and Hudson-Odoi picked out Boly with pinpoint accuracy from a corner. The defender got the perfect contact on it but only a phenomenal reaction save from Neto could deny him. Bournemouth’s keeper was keeping his side in this game. The visitors were asking questions of Forest more and the game was starting to open up with both keepers being kept busy.
Even the Nott’m Forest fans started to look nervous with such a slender lead. The Cherries came forward and cut back a dangerous cross from the byline into the box. Toffolo tried to clear but the ball struck his own player and dropped invitingly to Semenyo who tapped home to silence the City Ground with 86 minutes on the clock.
Forest had the chance to get a winner as a cross picked out Awoniyi in the box. He had managed to peel off the defenders and had a completely free header. Sadly for the home fans he headed it straight at Neto in the Bournemouth goal. The points were shared between the pair but Forest will feel like this was two points dropped.
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