Brilliant Bournemouth demolish Forest to maintain charge up table
Players from both teams contest a corner kick during the Premier League match at the Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth. Picture: Adam Davy/PA Wire.
BOURNEMOUTH’S unlikely challenge for a place in Europe continues to gather pace. Dango Ouattara scored a hat-trick as Andoni Iraola’s side completely overwhelmed a Nottingham Forest side that has established itself inside the top four to extend their unbeaten run to eleven league game.
This was an outstanding performance from Iraola’s side who came into the game on the back of an eye-catching 4-1 victory at Newcastle United that had confirmed they are a team on the rise. They were in charge from the moment Justin Kluivert put them ahead and capped a thrilling display when Antoine Semenyo added the fifth after Ouattara had killed the game off.
For Forest, though, this was a chastening defeat after a run of seven wins in eight games that had prompted strengthened their belief they could sustain their challenge for a Champions League spot Kluivert, fresh from his hat-trick at St James’ Park, set the tone when he gave Bournemouth a ninth minute lead with a fine solo effort. The forward was helped by the fact that no Forest player moved to close him down when he collected a pass from Tyler Adams inside his own half, eventually firing a low shot inside the post from 25 yards out.
Nuno Espirito Santo was clearly furious at his side’s failure to halt Kluivert’s run. Unfortunately for the Forest manager, that was the first of a number of defensive lapses from his side who failed to come to terms with Bournemouth’s high-tempo approach.
The visitors came close to immediately levelling when Morgan Gibbs-White sent a half-volley narrowly wide, but it was Bournemouth who were the more enterprising during a first half in which they never allowed their opponents to settle.
Forest’s limited attacking threat was illustrated by the fact Chris Wood had only seven touches during the first half. It was clear the visitors had to do more if they were to work their way back into the game and made a much more positive start to the second half with Nikola Milenkovic forcing Kepa into an acrobatic save shortly after the restart.
Once again, though, their fragility at the back proved costly as Ouattara doubled Bournemouth’s lead ten minutes into the second half. Forest looked as though they had cleared the danger from a Kluivert corner but when the forward got a second chance to deliver a cross, Ouattara pulled from Murillo at the far post and outjumped the defender to head home.
Two minutes later Kluivert beat Matz Sels after a superb move only for VAR to spot Ouattara was offside in the build-up. Forest’s reprieve proved short-lived, however, with Ouattara adding his second with another goal the visitors will want to forget. Substitute Nicolas Dominguez gave the ball away in midfield and when Adams sent Ouattara clear, the forward easily weaved his way past Murillo and Milenkovic before finishing past Sels.
Bournemouth were in complete control and Ouattara added to Forest’s misery when he completed his treble in the 89th minute after Sels could only parry Marcus Tavernier’s shot. And Semenyo completed
Kepa 6; Cook 7, Zabarnyi 7, Huijsen 8, Kerkez 7; Adams 7, Christie 8; Brooks 6 (Tavernier 79, 6), Kluivert 8 (Jebbison,90,6), Semenyo 8; Ouattara 9 (Silcott-Duberry 90, 6).
Travers, Adu-Adjei, Akinmboni, Winterburn, Kinsey, Rees-Dottin.
Sels 6; Aina 5 (Sosa 79,6), Milenkovic 4, Murillo 4, Williams 5 (Moreno 66,6); Yates 5 (Domínguez46,6), Anderson 6; Elanga 6, Gibbs-White 6 (Awoniyi 79,6), Silva 5 (Morato 66,6); Wood 6.
Miguel, Toffolo, Ward-Prowse, Boly.
Craig Pawson 6
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