On 23 December, one of the matches of the 18th round of the English football championship took place. Nottingham Forest (England) and Bournemouth (England) met.
English Championship, 18th round
Nottingham Forest (England) - Bournemouth (England) - 2:3 (0:0)
Goals: A. Elanga (46), Wood (74) - Solanke (50), Solanke (57), Solanke (90+3).
Warnings: Boly (5), Boly (23), A. Iraola (25), A. Scott (31), A. Semenyo (65), Christie (69).
Nottingham Forest faced Bournemouth in a thrilling Premier League encounter at the City Ground. The match turned out to be an exciting one, with both teams putting their best foot forward to win the three points. Although the game ended 2-3 in Bournemouth's favour, it was not lacking in drama and action from start to finish. The match started with a spirited performance from both sides, each looking to gain possession. Nottingham Forest's W. Boly received a yellow card in the 5th minute, followed by another in the 23rd minute, leaving his team in a numerical disadvantage. Unfortunately for Forest, Boly soon received a red card, further complicating their chances. Bournemouth's A. Iraola also received a yellow card in the 25th minute as the game became increasingly tense. Both teams made quick substitutions: D. Origi came on for Nottingham Forest in the 26th minute and L. Cook replaced A. Scott for Bournemouth in the 29th minute. During the first half, Bournemouth's A. Scott received a yellow card in the 31st minute, adding to the number of penalties in this tense match. However, shortly before the break Nottingham Forest managed to snatch victory. In the 46th minute A. Elanga struck the opponent's goal, giving the team a much-needed advantage. In the 47th minute O. Mangala replaced K. Hudson-Odoi, and Nottingham Forest didn't waste time on another substitution.
However, Bournemouth quickly got back on track: in the 50th minute D. Solanke equalised. The visitors continued to attack, and Solanke again demonstrated his skills, scoring a goal in the 57th minute. Both teams continued to attack, but the game became increasingly rough, which led to yellow cards for A. Semenyo in the 65th minute and R. Christie in the 69th minute. In the 70th minute Bournemouth made two more substitutions: L. Sinisterra replaced A. Semenyo and J. Rothwell replaced A. Scott. In the 74th minute Nottingham Forest showed their resilience and determination, levelling the score thanks to a goal by K. Wood, which led to a thrilling finale. Bournemouth responded with two more substitutions, with P Billing replacing D Brooks in the 81st minute and D Ouattara replacing K Moore in the 82nd minute. As time ticked away, Nottingham Forest made their final substitutions, with H. Toffolo replacing O. Aina in the 85th minute and M. Gibbs-White coming on in place of Danilo in the 90th minute. However, it was Bournemouth who had the final say in the game. In the final minutes of the match, D. Solanke completed his hat-trick with a goal in the 90th minute, which secured a 2-3 win for Bournemouth. Despite the defeat, Nottingham Forest put up a decent resistance, especially considering the early red card. Bournemouth showed clinical play and the ability to capitalise on their opportunities, which ultimately led to a triumph in this Premier League match. Both teams showcased their talents and put on a thrilling spectacle for the fans at the City Ground.
In the next round the following matches await the rivals: Newcastle - Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth - Fulham.
| Nottingham Forest | Bournemouth | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Kicks in the box | 7 |
| 11 | Kicks | 18 |
| 5 | Blocked shots | 4 |
| 10 | Penalty kicks | 13 |
| 1 | Penalty kicks | 5 |
| 10 | Offences | 10 |
| 6 | Corner | 6 |
| 0 | Offsides | 0 |
| 32% | Ball possession | 68% |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 3 |
| 1 | Red cards | 0 |
| 3 | Keeper saves | 2 |
| 231 | Total assists | 503 |
| 150 | Accurate assists | 422 |
| 65% | Transmission accuracy | 84% |