Liverpool’s Egyptian striker #11 Mohamed Salah (R) scores their fourth purpose in the course of the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on August 15, 2025. — AFP
LIVERPOOL: Liverpool followers had been handled to a roller-coaster begin to the season as late objectives from Mo Salah and Federico Chiesa sealed a 4-2 win over Bournemouth at Anfield on Friday.
On a bittersweet night charged with emotion after the July demise of Liverpool ahead Diogo Jota, newcomer Hugo Ekitike bagged a purpose on his league debut to place the hosts forward after 37 minutes and Cody Gakpo doubled the lead within the forty ninth.
However Antoine Semenyo, who was the goal of racist abuse within the first half that led to a pause within the recreation, pulled one again for the guests within the sixty fourth minute and accomplished a double 12 minutes later to rock Liverpool and shock the house followers.
Nonetheless, substitute Chiesa despatched the Liverpool devoted away pleased with an 88th-minute strike after goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic swatted away a ball into the field by Salah, who scored himself deep into added time to wrap up the three factors.
Salah chased the ball previous the defence earlier than slicing inside and firing into the underside nook with a purpose that put the Egypt worldwide joint-fourth with Andy Cole on the all-time Premier League scorers’ record with 187.
An emotional Salah pointed to the heavens and flapped two palms to imitate Jota’s shark purpose celebration.
He headed for The Kop stand after the ultimate whistle, and wiped away tears whereas applauding the followers who had been singing Jota’s music to the tune of “Bad Moon Rising”.
The evening began with an emotional minute’s silence for Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who died in a automotive crash. Followers fought again tears as they sang “You’ll Never Walk Alone”.
Ekitike, who has joined from Eintracht Frankfurt, was probably the most spectacular of supervisor Arne Slot’s close-season signings in a spending spree topping 300 million kilos ($406.53 million).
“Obviously I think it was a good performance, I could do better,” stated Ekitike — who held up two fingers in a single hand, and made a zero with the opposite in a tribute to Liverpool’s Jota, who wore quantity 20 — after his purpose.
“But the most important thing was winning, the mentality we showed. Obviously we wanted to win tonight for the people who came and for Diogo,” added the 23-year-old ahead.
The sport was halted for a number of minutes after Bournemouth’s Ghana worldwide Semenyo reported the racist abuse.
“It’s totally unacceptable,” Bournemouth captain Adam Smith stated. “Kind of in shock to be honest that it happened. In this day and age it shouldn’t be happening.
“I don’t know how Ant’s played on to be honest and come up with those goals … Something has to be done. We’ll support him in there and hopefully he’ll be ok.”
