West Ham Stun Forest With Late Flurry to Secure First Premier League Victory
NOTTINGHAM – West Ham United produced a stunning late turnaround, scoring three goals in the final six minutes to defeat Nottingham Forest 3-0 at the City Ground and claim their first Premier League points of the season.
The Hammers, who had suffered successive defeats to start the campaign, looked destined for a frustrating stalemate until an explosive finale shattered Forest’s resilience and ended their hopes of opening a season with back-to-back home wins for the first time in four decades.
For much of the contest, the game was a cagey affair with few clear-cut chances. The first shot on target did not arrive until the 39th minute, when West Ham’s Lucas Paquetá forced a fine save from Forest’s debutant goalkeeper Mats Sels.
The second half saw a significant uplift in tempo and excitement. Both sides created opportunities, with Sels again called into action to deny Niclas Füllkrug, while Forest’s Chris Wood was unable to convert a headed chance.
As the match entered its final stages, the breakthrough finally came. In the 84th minute, Jarrod Bowen received the ball in the box and expertly finished on the turn with a first-time shot to give the visitors a crucial lead.
The Hammers’ momentum proved unstoppable. Just four minutes later, substitute Crysencio Summerville was fouled in the area by Ibrahim Sangaré, and Paquetá stepped up to calmly convert the resulting penalty, doubling the lead and effectively sealing the points.
Any lingering doubt was extinguished in stoppage time when another substitute, Callum Wilson, headed home El Hadji Malick Diouf’s cross to cap the victory and score his first goal for the club.
The defeat halts Forest’s run of three consecutive league wins against West Ham and marks a devastating collapse after they had largely controlled the game for long periods. For West Ham, the victory, earned through a much-improved second-half performance, provides a vital boost and their first league clean sheet in 11 matches.