Substitute Federico Chiesa struck within the 88th minute together with his second contact of the sport and Mohamed Salah drilled in throughout second-half added time as Liverpool survived a second-half Bournemouth comeback to win the primary sport of the 2025/26 Premier League season at Anfield.
Ahead Chiesa, who had come on six minutes earlier, slashed in a volley from close to the penalty spot after Bournemouth had been unable to totally clear their strains earlier than Salah continued his unparalled document in opening matches, sending the house crowd into delirium on an emotional evening following pre-match tributes to late Liverpool participant Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva.
“An explosion of crimson aid!”
Federico Chiesa finds the again of the web! 👏 pic.twitter.com/AyWE9DvvPo
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 15, 2025
Hugo Ekitike struck from contained in the field on his Premier League debut after 37 minutes and teed up Cody Gakpo to cost alongside the sting of the field and discover a nook of the web 4 minutes after half-time.
Antoine Semenyo then utilized an knowledgeable end to fit in from David Brooks’ pinpoint cross within the sixty fourth minute and capitalised on accommodating defending with a blinding equaliser, surging by way of the centre from inside his personal half and coolly firing in.
Antoine Semenyo pulls one again for Bournemouth 🍒
Recreation ON! pic.twitter.com/2C1jwPnlzf
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 15, 2025
WOW!
Antoine Semenyo with an unbelievable solo objective to equalise for Bournemouth at Anfield 😍⚡️ pic.twitter.com/y0UxlX6ovP
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 15, 2025
The sport was paused throughout the first half when a visibly upset Semenyo reported racist abuse from a member of the gang.
Liverpool vs Bournemouth: Comfort for Cherries
Bournemouth supervisor Andoni Iraola is hoping to bolster his squad earlier than the switch window shuts however the Spaniard can be immensely inspired by a efficiency that steered the Cherries will impress once more following their ninth-placed end in 2024/25.
Evanilson fired a shot narrowly broad earlier than the break and Brooks had a credible-looking enchantment for a penalty as the results of a problem by Mac Allister, whose expertly-weighted cross arrange Ekitike’s objective.
Mac Allister and Salah each had pictures tipped over the crossbar by new Bournemouth goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, whereas Marcos Senesi was lucky to not be punished following a Video Assistant Referee evaluation when the defender appeared to disclaim Ekitike a transparent scoring alternative with the scoreline goalless.
VAR says no, however @Carra23 was satisfied that was handball 🧐 pic.twitter.com/kS8hOEwn7s
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 15, 2025
Ekitike would have needed to run the size of Bournemouth’s half and beat Petrovic however Senesi may properly have been despatched off had the choice gone in opposition to him.
Ekitike had his revenge with the opener within the thirty seventh minute, gathering Mac Allister’s cross and taking part in the ball by way of Senesi earlier than placing the opening objective right-footed from contained in the field.
Cody Gakpo goes on his personal to make it two for Liverpool! 👊 pic.twitter.com/NKrLFo4JU7
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 15, 2025
Liverpool pay tribute to Diogo Jota
Followers held up playing cards and there was a minute’s silence earlier than kick-off for Jota and Silva, who had been killed in a automotive accident in July.
Liverpool have retired the quantity 20 shirt Jota wore final season and Salah was in tears after the ultimate whistle.
“We all know that this can be a really emotional event, given it’s the first league sport we’ve performed since we misplaced Diogo and Andre,” supervisor Arne Slot wrote in his programme notes.
“As I’ve stated beforehand, the tributes which were paid all through the soccer world – and particularly throughout the LFC neighborhood – have been really particular, and I do know that tonight we’ll come collectively to honour them as soon as extra.
“It can be crucial that, as a membership, we present that they [Jota’s family] will at all times have our love and help as they cope with this most tragic of conditions. We’re there for them at all times.”
Mohamed Salah opening day document
Salah prolonged his unsurpassed data of 10 objectives and 15 objective involvements in opening matches of the season.
The 2024/25 Premier League high scorer has now scored 12 occasions in opposition to Bournemouth, having additionally netted twice in opposition to them when Liverpool had been the away aspect on February 1.
Liverpool crew vs Bournemouth
A number of signings made their Premier League debuts within the opening sport of the 2025/26 season.
Alongside Ekitike, midfielder Florian Wirtz was among the many new faces after becoming a member of the Reds from Bayer Leverkusen for a payment that might rise to a British-record £116 million.
Left-back Milos Kerkez joined for £40m from Bournemouth and right-back Jeremie Frimpong signed from Leverkusen for £29.5m.
Joe Gomez was out for Liverpool with a minor health situation, as was fellow defender Conor Bradley with a hamstring downside.
Midfielder Mac Allister began regardless of affected by a scarcity of minutes whereas recovering from damage throughout pre-season, however Ryan Gravenberch was suspended.
Liverpool beginning XI: Alisson, Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo, Salah, Ekitike
Liverpool substitutes: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Chiesa, Jones, Elliott, Robertson, Nyoni, Ngumoha
Bournemouth crew vs Liverpool
Bournemouth gave bows to Petrovic, left-back Adrien Truffert and Bafode Diakite, a centre-back who arrived this week from Lille for a payment that might rise to greater than £34m.
Petrovic, who joined from Chelsea for £25m in July, saved a penalty in a 0-0 pleasant draw in opposition to Actual Sociedad final week.
Diakite is Bournemouth’s second-most costly ever signing, following the £40.2m paid to Porto for ahead Evanilson in 2024.
Dango Ouattara was not concerned as Brentford pursue a transfer for the Burkina Faso worldwide.
One other of Iraola’s broad gamers, Luis Sinisterra, was additionally absent due to uncertainty over his future, and midfielder Lewis Cook dinner was suspended and has an damage that might hold him out for 2 video games.
Ahead Justin Kluivert had a calf situation and midfielder Ryan Christie was but to return to full health.
Enes Unal was recovering from a critical knee damage the striker sustained in January.
Bournemouth beginning XI: Petrovic, Smith, Senesi, Diakite, Truffert, Adams, Scott, Tavernier, Semenyo, Evanilson, Kroupi
Bournemouth substitutes: Dennis, Araujo, Soler, Kroupi, Hill, Traore, Billing, Winterburn, Rees-Dottin
Liverpool, Bournemouth fixtures
Liverpool are away to Newcastle on August 25 (20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT), adopted by a house sport in opposition to Arsenal on August 31 (16:30 BST / 11:30 ET / 08:30 ET).
Bournemouth host Wolves on August 23, then host Brentford within the second spherical of the EFL Cup (19:45 BST / 14:45 ET / 11:45 PT).
