Liverpool struck twice in the final minutes through Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah to overcome a battling Bournemouth 4-2 in a thrilling start to the Premier League season on Friday.
Antoine Semenyo looked to have rescued a point for the Cherries by scoring twice, after he had reported an incident of racial abuse from a fan, to cancel out Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo’s strikes for the defending champions.
But on an emotive night as Anfield remembered Diogo Jota, Chiesa was the unlikely hero as the injury-hit Italian fired the home side back in front before Salah rounded off the scoring.
Liverpool’s joy at celebrating a record-equalling 19th English top-flight title turned to tragedy during the off-season as forward Jota was killed alongside his brother Andre Silva in a car accident last month at the age of 28.
Just 11 days prior to the accident, the Portuguese international had married Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children.
A large banner at the front of The Kop stand read: “Rute, Dinis, Duarte, Mafalda – Anfield will always be your home. You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
During a minute’s silence, fans held up a giant mosaic with the initials of Jota and Silva, who was also a footballer, and their shirt numbers in the Portuguese flag.
“The main emotion should be how emotive the tribute for Diogo was,” said Liverpool boss Arne Slot. “It was all so impressive and powerful.”
Despite romping to the title with four games to spare last season, Liverpool have undergone a major transformation in the transfer market, spending close to £300 million ($407 million).
Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong made their first competitive starts for the Reds.
More could be yet to come with Liverpool linked with a British transfer record move for Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and interested in Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi.
The visitors were fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men less than 15 minutes in when Marcos Senesi clearly directed the ball out of Ekitike’s path with his hand when the French striker had a clear run at goal, but VAR surprisingly did not intervene.
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The game was briefly halted on the half-hour mark as Semenyo reported to referee Anthony Taylor that he had been the subject of racist abuse from a Liverpool supporter, who was seen to be removed from the stands by police at half-time.
“Totally unacceptable,” said Bournemouth captain Adam Smith. “Kind of in shock it happened in this day and age.”
Liverpool said in a statement that the incident is now the subject of an ongoing police investigation.
Shortly after the resumption, Ekitike settled Liverpool’s nerves as he got the break of the ball and slotted past Dorde Petrovic.
Gakpo then coolly left two Bournemouth defenders on the ground and rolled into the bottom corner just after half-time.
But Slot’s men have struggled to find the right balance in pre-season and in losing the Community Shield to Palace last weekend, as a new-look, slick attack could not compensate for wide open defensive gaps on the counter-attack, and so it proved again.
David Brooks broke the offside trap and squared for Semenyo to pull a goal back.
The Ghanaian then rounded off his eventful evening for good and bad with an incredible equaliser.
Semenyo collected possession just outside his own box and sprinted through a vacant Liverpool midfield before firing into the bottom corner 13 minutes from time.
Chiesa was barely used by Slot in his debut season in England, but became the unlikely hero when he pounced on a loose ball inside the Bournemouth box in the 89th minute.
Salah then broke clear in stoppage time to score his customary goal in the opening game of the season and paid his own homage to Jota by mimicking one of his goal celebrations.
The Egyptian then broke down in tears after full-time as a chant in Jota’s name was belted out from the stands.
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