Dango Ouattara hat trick helps Bournemouth crush Nottingham Forest

Jan 25, 2025, 07:09 pm

Dango Ouattara bagged a hat-trick as in-form Bournemouth crushed third-placed Nottingham Forest 5-0 in the Premier League on Saturday, the visitors' first loss in nine league matches.

Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo also scored one each as Bournemouth extended their unbeaten run in the league to 11 matches and provisionally rose to sixth in the table.

"It was a great result. We knew we were facing a very good team on a very good run. To score first was key," Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola told the BBC.

The hosts led early as Dutch forward Kluivert, who scored a hat-trick at Newcastle United last weekend, charged out of his own half in the ninth minute and hammered a shot past a diving Matz Sels.

Forest almost got even a minute later but Bournemouth keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, on loan from Chelsea, kept out a dipping volley from Ryan Yates with a diving save.

Back-to-back saves by Sels on the other end denied Ryan Christie and Semenyo as the visitors pushed for an equaliser.

Dango Ouattara netted three times as Bournemouth thrashed high-flying Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images

Forest came close again shortly after the break, but Arrizabalaga tipped out Nikola Milenkovic's header in a reaction save to preserve the hosts' lead.

Bournemouth doubled their lead soon after, as Ouattara leapt above Forest defender Murillo to head in Kluivert's lofted cross in the 55th minute.

Kluivert found the net three minutes later but the VAR found him offside, as boos rang out around the Dean Court.

But the Bournemouth faithful broke into cheer again shortly after the hour mark as Ouattara shot past Sels into the bottom corner to get the hosts 3-0 up.

Ouattara completed his hat-trick in the 87th minute, scoring from close range after Selz's attempt to deny substitute Marcus Travernier fell to the Burkina Faso international.

Semenyo got his name on the scoresheet as well in added time, slotting in from Travernier's pass to put a cap on the dominant victory.

"Nobody expected a game like this. Bournemouth were better than us. We did a lot of things wrong," said Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo, who turned 51 on Saturday.

"Football is our life. Today is not a happy day, of course."

Bournemouth will host league leaders Liverpool next Saturday, the same day Nottingham Forest welcome Brighton & Hove Albion.