Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth. Premier League.
The City GroundAttendance29,763.
Report and free match highlights as Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth draw 1-1; Chris Wood scored Forest's opener before Antoine Semenyo's late strike earned the Cherries a point at the City Ground; game overshadowed by broken ankle sustained by Danilo after landing awkwardly
Saturday 17 August 2024 20:26, UK
Antoine Semenyo scored a late Bournemouth equaliser to deny Nottingham Forest victory on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.
Chris Wood's first-half opener looked like it was going to be enough to give Forest all three points at the City Ground before Semenyo struck to earn Bournemouth a 1-1 draw.
The game was rather overshadowed by a serious injury incurred early on by Danilo after the midfielder landed awkwardly when competing for possession with Semenyo, who also required fairly lengthy treatment.
Security staff came on to support the medical personnel by creating a barrier around the midfielder as medics treated him on the pitch for more than eight minutes before he was eventually stretchered off, with what was later revealed to be a broken ankle.
Ryan Yates came on to replace Danilo and made an immediate impact as he was instrumental in Forest's opener minutes later. The ball dropped to him in the area after a ricochet and, although his shot was well saved by the on-rushing Neto, Wood was on hand to coolly slot home into the bottom-right corner.
Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi both went close for Forest before Bournemouth thought they had got themselves back on level terms when Dango Ouatarra lashed home after a neat short-corner routine only to see the effort ruled out for offside following a VAR check.
Willy Boly almost doubled Forest's advantage with a towering header from a corner, but Neto was alert to divert past his left post.
The hosts were made to pay in the 86th minute when substitute Harry Toffolo tried to clear a cross from Ryan Christie, his attempted clearance hit another Forest defender and dropped straight to Semenyo who blasted home for the visitors.
Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi both had chances late on, before a cool piece of defending from Boly denied Daniel Jebbison the chance to slide home a last-gasp winner for Bournemouth. Forest are now winless in their last nine matches against Bournemouth.
Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, speaking after the game on Danilo's injury:
"It was a horrible moment for everybody, he is at the hospital now, we have just got the report of the doctor, still some exams, but he has broken his ankle.
"It is serious, we are going to miss him not only on the pitch, he is a wonderful boy. You know him, always smiling, always with this joy and wish him the best.
"I think he is leaving hospital just now and he is going to be assessed tomorrow (Sunday) and after tomorrow.
"It is serious but the good news is he is stable, he is speaking, he is aware so just needs time.
"I have no idea on the timeframe, I just wish it is short because he is a very important player for us."
Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola:
"Probably you feel a little bit of relief because at the end we recovered a point, we came here with the idea of winning the game with the three points.
"We didn't want to start by losing, it is a difficult team to play against when you are behind.
"But I think we kept pushing, it is at least fair we got one point and at the end of the game we finished stronger and were closer to winning it."
On Danilo's injury, Iraola added: "The most important thing is his injury, we could see straight away, I was watching it and I suppose everyone realised it is going to be a very bad injury.
"I hope it is not going to be as bad as it looks. But it looked a really bad one. The game has had a lot of interruptions, we didn't have fluidity."
Nottingham Forest will be kicking themselves after letting their lead slip as their poor run of results against Bournemouth continued.
Forest are now winless in their last nine games against the Cherries and have now gone seven years without winning on the opening day of the season.
It was a positive start from the home side, with Forest showing tremendous character after the quite awful injury sustained by Danilo.
His replacement Yates was involved in the build-up to Wood's goal and Forest had chances to put the game to bed, only to be undone late on by Semenyo's strike.
Nuno will have a lot to ponder after this game. His side did not kill the game off, they looked vulnerable defensively, and it looks like Danilo will have a lengthy spell on the sidelines after it was confirmed he had sustained a broken ankle.
Forest have already brought in six players this summer, but it could all point to a busier than expected end to the transfer window for Nuno.
