Substitute Federico Chiesa struck in the 88th minute with his second touch of the game and Mohamed Salah drilled in during second-half added time as Liverpool survived a second-half Bournemouth comeback to win the first game of the 2025/26 Premier League season at Anfield.
Forward Chiesa, who had come on six minutes earlier, slashed in a volley from near the penalty spot after Bournemouth had been unable to fully clear their lines before Salah continued his unparalled record in opening matches, sending the home crowd into delirium on an emotional night following pre-match tributes to late Liverpool player Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva.
“An explosion of red relief!”
Federico Chiesa finds the back of the net! 👏 pic.twitter.com/AyWE9DvvPo
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 15, 2025
Hugo Ekitike struck from inside the box on his Premier League debut after 37 minutes, then teed up Cody Gakpo to charge along the edge of the box and find a corner of the net four minutes after half-time.
Antoine Semenyo then applied an expert finish to slot in from David Brooks’ pinpoint cross in the 64th minute and capitalised on accommodating defending to surge through the centre and coolly fire the visitors level.
The game was paused during the first half when a visibly upset Semenyo reported racist abuse from a member of the crowd.
Liverpool vs Bournemouth: Consolation for Cherries
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola is hoping to bolster his squad before the transfer window shuts but the Spaniard will be immensely encouraged by a performance that suggested the Cherries will impress again following their ninth-placed finish in 2024/25.
Evanilson fired a shot narrowly wide before the break and Brooks had a credible-looking appeal for a penalty as the result of a challenge by Mac Allister, whose expertly-weighted pass set up Ekitike’s goal.
Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah both had shots tipped over the crossbar by new Bournemouth goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, while Marcos Senesi was fortunate not to be punished following a Video Assistant Referee review when the defender appeared to deny Ekitike a clear scoring opportunity with the scoreline goalless.
Ekitike would have had to run the length of Bournemouth’s half and beat Petrovic but Senesi could well have been sent off had the decision gone against him.
Ekitike had his revenge with the opener in the 37th minute, collecting Mac Allister’s pass and playing the ball through Senesi before striking the opening goal right-footed from inside the box.
VAR says no, but @Carra23 was convinced that was handball 🧐 pic.twitter.com/kS8hOEwn7s
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 15, 2025
Liverpool pay tribute to Diogo Jota
Fans held up cards and there was a minute’s silence before kick-off for Jota and Silva, who were killed in a car accident in July.
Liverpool have retired the number 20 shirt Jota wore last season and Salah was in tears after the final whistle.
Fans sang “Oh he wears the number 20” in tribute as the players made their way on to the pitch prior to kick-off and in the 20th minute, with a flag in the Kop saying ‘Anfield will always be your home’.
“We know that this will be a very emotional occasion, given it is the first league game we have played since we lost Diogo and Andre,” manager Arne Slot wrote in his programme notes.
“As I have said previously, the tributes that have been paid throughout the football world – and especially within the LFC community – have been truly special, and I know that tonight we will come together to honour them once more.
“It is important that, as a club, we show that they [Jota’s family] will always have our love and support as they deal with this most tragic of situations. We are there for them always.”
Mohamed Salah opening day record
Salah extended his unsurpassed records of 10 goals and 15 goal involvements in opening matches of the season.
The 2024/25 Premier League top scorer has now scored 12 times against Bournemouth, having also netted twice against them when Liverpool were the away side on February 1.
Liverpool team vs Bournemouth
A host of signings made their Premier League debuts in the opening game of the 2025/26 season.
Alongside Ekitike, midfielder Florian Wirtz was among the new faces after joining the Reds from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee that could 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 fitness issue, as was fellow defender Conor Bradley with a hamstring problem.
Midfielder Mac Allister started despite suffering from a lack of minutes while recovering from injury during pre-season, but Ryan Gravenberch was suspended.
Liverpool starting 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 team 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 fee that could rise to more than £34m.
Petrovic, who joined from Chelsea for £25m in July, saved a penalty in a 0-0 friendly draw against Real Sociedad last week.
Diakite is Bournemouth’s second-most expensive ever signing, following the £40.2m paid to Porto for forward Evanilson in 2024.
Dango Ouattara was not involved as Brentford pursue a move for the Burkina Faso international.
Another of Iraola’s wide players, Luis Sinisterra, was also absent because of uncertainty over his future, and midfielder Lewis Cook was suspended and has an injury that could keep him out for two games.
Forward Justin Kluivert had a calf issue and midfielder Ryan Christie was yet to return to full fitness.
Enes Unal was recovering from a serious knee injury the striker sustained in January.
Bournemouth starting 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), followed by a home game against Arsenal on August 31 (16:30 BST / 11:30 ET / 08:30 ET).
Bournemouth host Wolves on August 23, then host Brentford in the second round of the EFL Cup (19:45 BST / 14:45 ET / 11:45 PT).
