West Ham’s Late Blitz Secures First Premier League Victory Against Nottingham Forest

West Ham United finally broke their Premier League duck in dramatic fashion, securing a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. A late surge, with three goals in a mere seven minutes, propelled the Hammers to their first win of the season, alleviating some of the early-season pressure on manager Graham Potter.

The match remained a tight affair for the majority of the 90 minutes, with West Ham creating the clearer chances in the opening exchanges. Lucas Paqueta and Callum Wilson both tested Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels, who proved equal to the task with a series of smart saves. Forest, however, struggled to create any sustained periods of pressure, often finding themselves on the back foot against a resolute West Ham defense. The midfield battle was intense, with both teams vying for control and struggling to maintain possession for extended spells.

As the game wore on, the tension mounted, with both sides desperate to break the deadlock. West Ham continued to probe, with Paqueta orchestrating much of their attacking play. However, Forest remained organized and disciplined, frustrating the visitors' attempts to carve out clear-cut opportunities. The introduction of fresh legs from the bench added impetus to both sides, but the game still seemed destined for a goalless draw.

Then, in the 84th minute, the game exploded into life. Jarrod Bowen, who had been a constant threat throughout the match, unleashed a stunning first-time strike that nestled perfectly into the bottom-right corner of Sels' net. The Forest goalkeeper was left with no chance as Bowen's shot curled away from his grasp, sparking jubilant celebrations among the West Ham faithful.

Four minutes later, West Ham were awarded a penalty when Ibrahim Sangare fouled Crysencio Summerville in the box. Paqueta stepped up to take the spot-kick and coolly slotted the ball home, sending Sels the wrong way and doubling the Hammers' advantage. The penalty decision was met with protests from the Forest players and fans, who felt that the foul was soft. However, the referee stood firm, and West Ham found themselves in a commanding position with just minutes remaining.

Callum Wilson then added further gloss to the scoreline in the first minute of stoppage time, heading in El Hadji Malick Diouf’s deep cross to complete a swift counter-attack. Wilson rose highest to meet Diouf's delivery, powering his header past Sels and into the back of the net. The goal capped off a memorable late surge for West Ham and secured a vital three points.

Bringing the three points back to East Londonpic.twitter.com/1TfZXhbC7r

— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 31, 2025

The late show propelled Potter's side off the foot of the table and provided a much-needed boost to their confidence. For Nottingham Forest, the defeat was a harsh lesson in the importance of concentration and defensive resilience. They will need to regroup quickly and address their shortcomings if they are to avoid a similar fate in future matches.

This was Forest's first Premier League defeat by three or more goals since their 8-1 demolition at the hands of Manchester United in February 1999, highlighting the severity of their collapse. Meanwhile, it was only the second time West Ham have scored three or more goals in the final 10 minutes of a Premier League game, having previously achieved this feat against Tottenham in October 2020.

Bowen's opener continued his impressive form, with the winger now directly involved in more goals than any other player in the division since the start of April (10 goals; seven goals, three assists). Wilson's late header also underlined his effectiveness as a substitute, with no player scoring more Premier League goals from the bench since the start of the 2022-23 season (eight, level with Jhon Duran).