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RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Liverpool leave it late to start Premier League season with nervy win over Bournemouth
Liverpool's defence of their Premier League title got off to an unconvincing start but the late 4-2 victory was soured by alleged racist abuse directed at Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo. The winger responded brilliantly with both the Cherries' goals as they came from two down as Andoni Iraola's side exposed the same defensive weaknesses Crystal Palace did in Sunday's Community Shield victory. But forgotten man Federico Chiesa, Liverpool's solitary signing last summer who has barely featured and whose future looked to be elsewhere, volleyed home his first league goal in the 88th minute before Mohamed Salah scored for the eighth time in nine opening-day fixtures. But that did not diminish what was hugely-deserved credit for Semenyo, who did not allow the first-half incident to throw him off his game, as he gave former team-mate and Liverpool's new left-back Milos Kerkez a torrid time. Liverpool had announced the £23million signing of 18-year-old Parma centre-back Giovanni Leoni before kick-off but it would be no surprise for this result to hasten the pursuit of Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi with Ibrahima Konate, in particular, looking particularly shaky. It had begun so well with another new signing Hugo Ekitike starting to pay back his £69million transfer fee with a first-half goal, having scored last weekend. But shortly afterwards referee Anthony Taylor halted play, calling Liverpool head coach Arne Slot and Iraola together with the fourth official Farai Hallam to tell them the Semenyo had reported a racist comment from a fan at the front of the Main Stand. It is also understood police visited the officials' dressing room at half-time. Within four minutes of the second half starting Cody Gakpo, via an Ekitike assist, doubled the lead but Liverpool were far from their best on a night when Anfield remembered former striker Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva after their deaths in a car crash last month. In the Kop there was a banner dedicated to Jota's family, who in the week Slot said he expected to be in attendance, which said 'Anfield will always be your home. You'll never walk alone', while Bournemouth fans brought their own which read 'Diogo Jota. 20 Together'. Perimeter hoardings read 'Rest in peace Diogo Jota and Andre Silva', and fans in the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand and the Kop held 'AS 30' and 'DJ 20′ mosaics during the minute's silence while Jota's song was sung at kick-off. Ekitike extended his own tribute by signalling a two and a zero – Jota's now-retired shirt number – with his fingers after his 37th minute goal. The France Under-21 international thought he had been denied by the season's first VAR controversy after just 14 minutes when Marcos Senesi appeared to flick the ball away on the halfway line but VAR ruled it was not a clear handball or the denial of a goalscoring opportunity. Ekitike then benefited from a more fortuitous touch off the defender, latching onto a mistake after his own miscontrol of Alexis Mac Allister's pass to run through and comfortably send Djordje Petrovic the wrong way. He then headed over before half-time but his assimilation into the role vacated by Jota and Darwin Nunez, sold to Al-Hilal, was evident as he laid on the return pass for Gakpo to glide past a couple of defenders and stroke past Petrovic. But when Slot replaced both full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, two of the four new signings making their debuts, Bournemouth clinically exploited the unfamiliarity of midfielder Wataru Endo playing at right-back. David Brooks raced down the left and Konate could not prevent him sending over a teasing, low cross which Semenyo cleverly finished. Slot made immediate changes, bringing on defender Joe Gomez despite just two days' training after three weeks out with injury, to allow Endo to move into midfield and club-record signing Florian Wirtz moving to a false nine for Ekitike. But when Salah, of all people, gave away possession on the edge of the opposition penalty area a fast four-on-two counter-attack saw Semenyo fire home, only for Chiesa, already a cult hero despite his lack of action, to be the saviour. Salah completed the scoring in added-time and was last to leave the pitch, with tears in his eyes, having stood applauding the Kop singing Jota's song.
Mint
2 days ago
- Sport
- Mint
Anfield pays heartfelt tribute to Diogo Jota and Andre Silva at Liverpool vs Bournemouth game; check details
Liverpool Football Club and its fans came together to honour the memory of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva during the Premier League opener against AFC Bournemouth. The emotional tributes were held in the wake of the brothers' tragic passing in a car accident in northern Spain in July. Before the match kicked off, Anfield observed a minute's silence to commemorate Diogo Jota, aged 28, and Andre Silva, aged 25. The silence was a solemn moment for the Liverpool community to reflect on the loss of two beloved figures. Fans, players, and staff stood together, united in grief and respect. This gesture extended beyond Anfield, with all Premier League matches that weekend holding moments of silence and players wearing black armbands in solidarity. The Kop and Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand became canvases for tributes as supporters unveiled striking mosaics displaying DJ 20 and AS 30. These designs, representing Jota's number 20 shirt and Silva's age, were a powerful visual reminder of their impact. As the mosaics rose, fans sang 'You'll never walk alone,' followed by the chant, 'Oh he wears the number 20,' echoing through the stadium. Liverpool fans make a display in the stands in memory of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva before the match before the match. Liverpool's players paid their respects on the pitch, wearing shirts and stadium jackets adorned with a Forever 20 emblem, a tribute that will remain throughout the season. Notably, the club also made the significant decision to retire Jota's number 20 shirt, a move finalized after consultations with Jota's wife, Rute Cardoso, and family. T In his programme notes, manager Arne Slot stated, 'We know that this will be a very emotional occasion. The tributes that have been paid throughout the football world, and especially within the LFC community, have been truly special.' He emphasized the club's ongoing support for Jota's family, adding, 'It is important that, as a club, we show that they will always have our love and support as they deal with this most tragic of situations. We are there for them always.' The tributes extended beyond Liverpool, with Jota's former club, Wolverhampton Wanderers, planning their own homage during their season opener against Manchester. On July 3, 2025, Diogo Jota, 28, and his brother Andre Silva, 25, lost their lives in a car crash on the A-52 motorway in Zamora, Spain. The accident occurred when the Lamborghini Huracan, reportedly driven by Jota, veered off the road and burst into flames after a rear tire burst during an overtaking maneuver. Jota was on his way to Santander to catch a ferry to the UK, advised against flying due to a recent lung procedure. The crash site, near Cernadilla, showed tire marks and a destroyed guardrail, with the vehicle found charred.
