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Nottingham Forest will head to Bristol City in confident mood next weekend, after rounding off their pre-season preparations with a 2-0 win over Premier League Bournemouth – and a performance that will only raise levels of both hope and expectation at the City Ground.

Tendayi Darikwa and Gil Dias found the back of the net in a game dominated for long spells by Aitor Karanka’s side, who were inspired by flashes of brilliance from their trio of Portuguese summer signings.

It was a solid all-round team display from the Reds, on an afternoon when there were no poor performances from those in the new white away kit.

But a crowd of 14,108 will have departed in positive mood, having been impressed in particular by many of the 10 summer additions, with subs Hillal Soudani and Lewis Grabban also having looked bright, after coming on late in the game.

It was a cautious, patient start from both sides, with both Forest and Bournemouth looking to build steadily from the back.

Dias and Joao Carvalho had one encouraging interchange down the left side, but it amounted to nothing.

And, when Ben Osborn combined with Dias, it resulted in Dias picking out Diogo Goncalves in the centre, but his first touch was just a little too strong, robbing him of a shooting chance, and his resulting cross was well held by Boruc.

Lys Mousset had the chance to hit a shot on the turn 12 yards from goal, but his effort was well off target, much to the frustration of a few of his team-mates, who clearly felt he might have passed to somebody in a better position.

(Image: Joseph Raynor)

It seemed a little harsh when Costel Pantilimon was judged to have brought down Callum Wilson, just outside the penalty area, with the Bournemouth man having gone down under minimal contact.

But the big keeper just about managed to clear the danger when, from the resulting free-kick, Ryan Fraser tried to catch out everyone by whipping in a shot, despite the relatively tight angle, which Pantilimon managed to swat away.

Wilson twice forced good saves from Pantilimon, after engineering room for himself down the right side.

(Image: Joseph Raynor)

The Romanian keeper had to be quick off his line to narrow the angle after Wilson had broken the offside trap, making himself big to claw away his shot.

Pantilimon then had to make a more agile stop when Wilson fired a shot across goal, which the Forest number one got a strong hand to, before then clearing the danger at the second attempt.

Goncalves tried his luck when he found half a yard of space just outside the box, but his curling shot was always flying wide of the target.

(Image: Joseph Raynor)

Forest had named a strong starting XI, which included all three of their new Portuguese summer signings, playing just behind lone striker Daryl Murphy.

Adlene Guedioura partnered Jack Colback in central midfield, with Osborn at left-back, Darikwa at right-back and Danny Fox and Michael Dawson in the centre of defence.

Forest, inspired by Dias, Goncalves and Carvalho – who were finding their confidence - were starting to find their own menace.

(Image: Joseph Raynor)

Carvalho left two defenders in his wake with a simply glorious turn and flick of the ball over his head, but was charged down before he could shoot.

But, when Goncalves was given the opportunity to run at the Bournemouth defence, he took full advantage, charging down the left and delivering a delicious low ball across the face of goal, to the far post, where Darikwa was arriving with perfect timing to slide the ball over the line.

It was a fine team goal, coming in the 36th minute, and Forest almost had another, in more direct fashion, moments later.

(Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)

Pantilimon was alert enough to spot Goncalves in space wide on the left and picked him out with an accurate, driven kick out of his hands, sending the winger darting down the left for a second time. This time he opted to shoot, rather than cross – and forced a smart save from Boruc, diving low to his left.

When Forest pushed again, Bournemouth’s attempt to clear a cross into the box was poor, with the ball falling for Darikwa to attack with another header, which he sent powerfully looping narrowly over the bar.

Forest were finishing the half strongly, with their attacking quartet all getting into their stride.

Dias was the architect for the final opportunity before the interval, as he rampaged down the right side, before cutting the ball back for Guedioura in the centre, with his 25-yard shot taking a slight deflection, which forced a smart save from Boruc.

Ben Watson replaced Colback – who is a little behind in his match fitness, following his arrival from Newcastle – at half-time.

It took Forest only three minutes to add to their lead, after the break.

A superb ball from Fox picked out Dias on the right side and, after controlling on his chest, he drove at the full-back and beat him for pace and strength, regaining his feet after initially losing his footing, before powering toward goal and delivering a precise finish beyond Boruc and inside the far post.

Goncalves let fly with an instant drive when a free-kick was half cleared to him on the edge of the box, but it was always curling away from goal.

Forest came rather closer to a third goal when a clever corner routine ended with the ball falling to Osborn in the box. His instant shot was well struck, but Boruc pounced on it with great alertness, just as it seemed it might go under his body.

There was a warm reception from the Forest fans when they made four changes, with Soudani, Joe Lolley, Matty Cash and Grabban coming on to replace Dias, Carvalho, Goncalves and Murphy, with the departing quartet all having played well, but the Portuguese trio in particular having stood out.

When Bournemouth threatened to pull a goal back on the break, Pantilimon was quick off his line to pounce on the ball as sub Connor Mahoney charged into the box.

Soudani had the chance to deliver a cross with eight minutes left, but tried to be overly clever and simply lifted the ball out of play.

But the Algerian international was working hard, with both he and Grabban looking determined to make an impact in the final stages.

It was Lolley who was the catalyst for the next opportunity, as he sprinted forcefully down the left, leaving Francis in his wake, before feeding an unselfish ball to Soudani, just inside the box. But his first-time shot did not have quite enough dip and cleared the bar by a narrow margin.

Soudani was unlucky not to get a third when more good build-up play led to him finding the room to shoot from the periphery of the box for a second time, with Boruc this time making a fine save at his near post, to push the ball away.

Forest: Pantilimon, Darikwa, Dawson, Fox, Osborn, Colback, Guedioura (Yates 79), Goncalves (Lolley 7), Carvalho (Soudani 70), Dias (Cash 70), Murphy (Grabban 70). Subs: Smith, Figueiredo, Worrall, Robinson, Bridcutt, Lam, Brereton.

Bournemouth: Boruc, Francis, Gosling, Ake, Arter, Mousset, Daniels, Wilson, Brooks (Mahoney 77), Fraser, Simpson. Subs: Travers, Worthington, Hyndman, Hobson, Surridge, Ofoborh, Dobre.

Referee: Steve Martin