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Liverpool vs Bournemouth opened the EPL 2025/26 season with a 4–2 win sealed by Chiesa and Salah.
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Semenyo’s brace had briefly drawn Bournemouth level before the champions responded.
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Anfield also paid tribute to the late Diogo Jota.
The English Premier League 2025/26 season kicked off on Friday night with the reigning champions Liverpool hosting Bournemouth at Anfield in a dramatic opener.
Also Read: EPL 2025/26 Kickoff: Man U Clash with Arsenal in Matchweek 1
Liverpool vs Bournemouth delivered everything — late goals, raw emotion and heated controversy.
Federico Chiesa struck in the 89th minute, and Mohamed Salah added a stoppage-time finish to seal a 4–2 victory.
New signing Hugo Ekitike fired the Reds ahead before halftime, and Cody Gakpo doubled the lead early in the second half with a composed strike.
However, Antoine Semenyo, who had earlier reported racial abuse from a spectator, pulled one back and later stunned the Kop with a brilliant solo run that brought the game level.
Liverpool needed a hero, and Chiesa answered by smashing home a loose ball inside the box with just minutes left.
Salah then sprinted clear in stoppage time, slotted calmly past the goalkeeper, and sealed the champions’ comeback.
The Egyptian forward celebrated by honouring the late Diogo Jota, as Anfield erupted in chants of Jota’s name.
Before kick-off, Anfield paid tribute to Jota, who died in a car crash last month.
Fans held up a massive banner for his family and formed a giant mosaic with the initials and shirt numbers of Jota and his brother Andre Silva.
The emotional moment brought silence, then tears, across the stadium.
Drama followed on the pitch. Marcos Senesi clearly blocked Ekitike’s run with his hand in the box, yet VAR refused to intervene.
Minutes later, play stopped when Semenyo reported the racist abuse, and police escorted a fan out at halftime.
Liverpool also showcased their summer signings.
Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong all started, highlighting the club’s £300m spending spree.
The attack looked sharp, but defensive gaps again left Liverpool vulnerable on the counter — openings that Bournemouth punished to stay in the contest.
Despite the defeat, Bournemouth can take heart.
Their pace, fight, and Semenyo’s brilliance suggest they will trouble plenty of sides this season.
For Liverpool, the win lifts spirits but exposes flaws Arne Slot must fix quickly if the champions want to defend their crown.
