Liverpool pushed forward; in the 88th minute, Chiesa restored the lead. Salah scored in stoppage time, reaching 187 Premier League goals, tying Andy Cole
Liverpool
Liverpool began their Premier League title defence with a dramatic 4-2 win over Bournemouth at Anfield on Friday night. Mo Salah and substitute Federico Chiesa scored late to seal three points after the visitors had stunned the champions with a second-half comeback.
The evening carried heavy emotion as Liverpool paid tribute to forward Diogo Jota, who passed away in July. New signing Hugo Ekitike gave the home side the lead on his league debut in the 37th minute. Cody Gakpo doubled the advantage just after halftime, raising hopes of a comfortable win.
However, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo turned the game on its head. After being subjected to racist abuse in the first half – which forced a temporary halt – the Ghanaian forward struck twice, in the 64th and 76th minutes, to level the contest and silence Anfield.
Liverpool pushed forward, and in the 88th minute, Chiesa restored the lead with a sharp finish after goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic parried Salah’s effort. Deep into stoppage time, Salah added a fourth, cutting inside and drilling home his 187th Premier League goal. That strike moved him level with Andy Cole in fourth place on the league’s all-time scorers’ chart.
The game was also marked by the racist incident against Semenyo, which drew strong condemnation. Bournemouth captain Adam Smith called it “totally unacceptable” and praised his teammate’s resilience. “I don’t know how Ant played on and scored. We’ll support him fully,” Smith said.
Liverpool’s late rally secured a winning start to their campaign, but the night will also be remembered for both Semenyo’s courage and the ongoing fight against discrimination.
