Liverpool kicked off the Premier League season with a vibrant 4-2 victory over Bournemouth at Anfield on Friday. The match, filled with emotions, included tributes to Diogo Jota and an incident of alleged racial abuse.
Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah’s goals in the final minutes secured the victory for Liverpool, after the home team squandered a two-goal lead.
Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo had put the Reds 2-0 ahead.
- The match was briefly stopped due to a report of racial abuse.
- Liverpool paid an emotional tribute to Jota in the opening match.
In the development of the game, the match was interrupted after Bournemouth striker Antoine Semenyo informed referee Anthony Taylor in the 28th minute that he had been subjected to racist insults from a spectator.
Semenyo, who is Black, needed to be consoled by his teammates after the alleged incident, but continued playing and scored goals in the 64th and 76th minutes, tying the score for Bournemouth.
This was the first official match at Anfield since the tragic death of Jota, a player much loved by Liverpool, and his brother André Silva in a car accident in Spain on July 3rd.
Before the start, fans displayed banners with the letters “DJ20” and “AS30” in two of the stands during a minute of silence in honor of the Portuguese players. Liverpool players stood arm in arm around the center circle, and staff and players from both clubs wore black armbands. Salah seemed emotional after the final whistle, while Liverpool fans continued to commemorate Jota.
