Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth shared the spoils in a tightly contested Premier League clash at the City Ground, with Marcus Tavernier's second-half equalizer canceling out Morgan Gibbs-White's first-half opener.
Forest entered the match in 16th place with 43 points from 37 games, while Bournemouth sat comfortably in sixth with 56 points. The visitors arrived at the City Ground on an unbeaten run, seeking to maintain their push toward European qualification. Forest, meanwhile, needed points to secure their top-flight status with just one game remaining.
The home side struck first in the 34th minute when Gibbs-White found the net to give Forest an advantage heading into the break. The goal energized the crowd and offered hope to a team battling relegation concerns. Forest controlled much of the opening period, restricting Bournemouth's attacking threat effectively.
However, Bournemouth's quality showed through despite the early setback. The visitors maintained possession and created chances throughout the first half. Their passing accuracy of 84 percent demonstrated their control of the game's tempo, even when trailing.
The second half saw Bournemouth emerge with renewed intensity. In the 54th minute, Tavernier leveled the score with a clinical finish. The Bournemouth defender's goal shifted momentum decisively toward the away side as they pressed for a winner.
Forest responded to the equalizer with defensive discipline. Awoniyi received a yellow card in the 67th minute as tensions rose. The home side fought hard to prevent Bournemouth from securing all three points.
Both teams created opportunities but neither could find a breakthrough. Forest managed five shots on target from 15 total attempts, while Bournemouth recorded four on target from 17 shots. The expected goals figures told a similar story: Forest's xG stood at 1.87 compared to Bournemouth's 1.00.
Tavernier earned the match's highest rating at 7.9, delivering a commanding performance at both ends of the pitch. Adrien Truffert supported Bournemouth's attack with seven tackles and key contributions down the left flank, earning a 7.7 rating. For Forest, Omari Hutchinson impressed during his 78-minute appearance with a 7.3 rating.
Possession favored Bournemouth at 55 percent, though Forest's 45 percent proved sufficient to create genuine scoring chances. The home side won six corner kicks compared to Bournemouth's three, reflecting their attacking intent.
The draw leaves Forest in 16th place with 44 points from 38 games played. Bournemouth remains in sixth with 57 points, their European hopes still alive heading into the final fixture. Both teams will view this result differently based on their respective objectives.
