Chiesa Sparks Liverpool Comeback as Reds Storm Past Bournemouth 4-2 in Season Opener

Title holders Liverpool secured a 4–2 victory over Bournemouth in an exciting encounter to launch the 2025–26 Premier League campaign.

Liverpool controlled the ball from kickoff but found it difficult to create clear-cut opportunities. Within the opening 15 minutes, Marcos Senesi seemed to prevent Liverpool from a obvious scoring chance with a handball, however both referee Anthony Taylor and VAR officials didn't consider the incident deserving of a penalty, much less a sending off.

The Merseyside club's persistence finally bore fruit. Hugo Ekitiké collected a pass from Alexis Mac Allister and drove through Bournemouth's backline. The French striker then coolly fooled Đorđe Petrović to register his first official Liverpool goal and give the Reds the advantage in the 37th minute.

Arne Slot's team emerged aggressively after halftime. Ekitiké switched roles to become the creator, holding possession for the advancing Cody Gakpo, who drifted in from the left flank before unleashing a superb effort into the bottom corner to extend the home side's lead.

Just as Liverpool appeared to be closing in on a third strike, the Cherries, determined not to surrender easily, responded. Through a swift counter-attack, David Brooks broke free and delivered an accurate cross directly to Antoine Semenyo, who blasted the ball beyond Alisson to reduce the deficit for the away team in the 64th minute.

A match that looked entirely under Liverpool's command shifted dramatically following Semenyo's strike. The Cherries started to pose a real threat as tension filled Anfield. In the 76th minute, the Ghanaian forward sprinted nearly the entire pitch during a breakaway, spun Ibrahima Konaté around, and unleashed a powerful shot to complete his double and level the score for Bournemouth.

The Reds pushed forward desperately to prevent losing points on opening day, introducing the rarely-used Federico Chiesa. Slot's tactical decision proved successful, as the Italian found himself perfectly positioned in the 88th minute to net Liverpool's third goal, restoring their advantage with his maiden Premier League strike.

Well into added time, Mohamed Salah secured Liverpool's victory with a spectacular individual effort, collecting a defensive clearance, cutting inside from the left and scoring his opening goal of the campaign with a weaker-foot finish to the far corner.

Slot's team narrowly escaped a major upset and, despite having some defensive vulnerabilities exposed, they started their championship defense positively, demonstrating the potency of their offensive arsenal.

Player ratings from the game below.

Liverpool Player Ratings vs. Bournemouth (4-2-3-1)

Ratings Provided by FotMob

Subs not used: Giorgi Mamardashvili (GK), Harvey Elliot, Trey Nyoni, Rio Nguhoma

Player of the Match: Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth)