Liverpool kicked off their Premier League title defence in spectacular fashion on Friday night, defeating Bournemouth 4-2 in an electrifying encounter at Anfield. The defending champions showed their resilience and attacking flair, striking twice in the dying minutes to seal victory in a game packed with drama, emotion, and high-quality football.
The Reds took an early advantage through debutant Hugo Ekitike, who opened his Liverpool account with a smart finish after just 12 minutes. Cody Gakpo doubled the lead midway through the first half, seemingly putting Arene Slot side on course for a comfortable opening-day win.
However, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo had other ideas. In an inspiring personal display, the Ghanaian forward pulled one back before half-time and later grabbed a second to draw the Cherries level at 2-2. His brace came in the wake of a disturbing pre-match incident, where Semenyo reportedly faced racial abuse from a fan, an event that cast a shadow over the evening and drew widespread condemnation.
With the match finely poised and just minutes remaining, Liverpool’s persistence paid off. Federico Chiesa, overcoming recent injury troubles, latched onto a clever pass to fire the hosts back in front, sending the Anfield faithful into raptures. Moments later, Mohamed Salah added the finishing touch with a clinical strike, ensuring the champions began their campaign with all three points.
The night also carried deep emotional weight as fans and players paid tribute to former teammate Diogo Jota, whose recent passing was marked with a poignant minute’s applause before kick-off. The stirring atmosphere seemed to spur Liverpool on, as they showed both quality and character to start their season with a statement win.
Liverpool now turn their attention to their next fixture, confident but aware that the fight to retain the Premier League crown will demand the same determination they displayed against Bournemouth.
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