Antoine Semenyo’s late goal snatched a point for Bournemouth as they came from behind to hold Nottingham Forest on the opening day.
Chris Wood swept home the Forest opener in the 23rd minute after Cherries goalkeeper Neto parried a Ryan Yates shot to his feet.
It followed a broken ankle to their Brazilian midfielder Danilo, who was taken off on a stretcher after a challenge with Semenyo.
Bournemouth – who had a goal disallowed in the first half – were much improved in the second half and levelled as Semenyo bundled home from close range when Forest failed to properly clear a cross.
The visitors thought they had equalised earlier when striker Dango Ouattara smashed in following an intricate short-corner routine, but Lewis Cook was ruled to have been just offside in the build-up.
Forest had controlled the first half and almost doubled their lead when defender Willy Boly sent a powerful header goalwards from a Callum Hudson-Odoi corner, but Neto flung himself to the left for an important save.
Bournemouth – missing club record signing Evanilson following his late arrival on Friday – looked to be heading towards an opening-day defeat until the late drama.
Semenyo pounced after Forest defender Harry Toffolo’s clearance struck team-mate Murillo and fell invitingly for the forward.
Attacking intent and invention sparks Forest
Forest got their business done early in the transfer window to give boss Nuno Espirito Santo time to bed newcomers into the team – but holding on to players was equally important.
It was the established members of the squad who really shone against Bournemouth, with wingers Anthony Elanga and Hudson-Odoi continually causing trouble.
While Forest were unable to hold on to their lead, their attack displayed a clear strength in the first half and glimpses of it in the second.
Elanga launched mazy runs with his pace which dragged the visitors’ defence out of shape, creating space for others elsewhere.
Yates, whose saved effort led to Wood’s opener, was introduced in the 15th minute after Danilo’s exit but quickly settled and worked well with the rest of the attack.
Forest face Southampton and Wolves in their next two fixtures and may well offer brighter hope to their fans after last season’s relegation struggle, especially if they are as bright in attack as they were against the Cherries.
Semenyo steps up as Cherries deal with Solanke departure
A re-energised second-half performance was increasingly promising for Bournemouth in their comeback.
Without last season’s star striker Dominic Solanke, who joined Tottenham for £65m, they found it difficult to find a way past the home defence and their Belgium goalkeeper Matz Sels.
Ghana forward Semenyo – a central striker for his country but preferred as a winger by Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola – who was deployed through the middle against Forest.
He stepped up to deliver the goods, but the Cherries didn’t do enough to maintain their record of having won their past three games at the City Ground.
They were often caught out by Forest’s impressive wing play and sloppy in their passing.
But they responded well to their shortcomings with a much slicker style of football after the break and their persistence paid off in the end.
–BBC
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