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Liverpool vs. Bournemouth score, results, stats as Chiesa bags late winner in emotional Premier League opener

The 2025/26 Premier League season got off to a flying start as Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah scored late goals to give defending champions Liverpool a thrilling and emotional 4-2 victory at Anfield over Bournemouth.

New Liverpool signing Hugo Ekitike scored the opener on his league debut just past the half-hour mark, while Cody Gakpo doubled the lead shortly after halftime. Ekitike, who fed Gakpo’s strike, became the second player in Liverpool history to score and assist a goal on his Liverpool league debut after Darwin Nunez in 2022.

Like in the Community Shield last weekend, the Reds coughed up a late lead, as an Antoine Semenyo brace within 12 minutes brought the Cherries storming back. The comeback came after Liverpool manager Arne Slot had made a host of substitutions, with questions asked of the boss’s decision-making.

Those questions were quieted in a hurry as Federico Chiesa provided the late moment of brilliance required to secure three points, scoring the winner just six minutes after entering for new signing Florian Wirtz. Then, in stoppage time, Mo Salah, already the league’s all-time leading scorer on opening weekend, added to his total to wrap up the scoreline.

The match began with a chilling minute’s silence to former Liverpool player Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who were killed in a motor vehicle accident earlier this summer. After the full-time whistle, Salah was overcome with emotion while applauding the home fans, who sang in remembrance of their fallen striker.

The Sporting News followed the Liverpool vs. Bournemouth match live, providing score updates, commentary, and analysis.

JUMP TO: Latest live updates | Team news and lineups | Full match stats

Liverpool vs. Bournemouth final score

  Score Goal scorers
Liverpool 4 Ekitike (37′),
Gakpo (49′),
Chiesa (88′),
Salah (90+4′)
Bournemouth 2 Semenyo (64′, 76′)

Location: Anfield Stadium (Liverpool, England)
Referee: Anthony Taylor

Keep track of every game and every goal via SN’s live Premier League scoreboard

Starting lineups:

Liverpool (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Alisson (GK) — 30. Frimpong (Endo, 60′), 5. Konate, 4. Van Dijk, 6. Kerkez (Robertson, 60′) — 10. Mac Allister (Jones, 72′), 8. Szoboszlai — 11. Salah, 7. Wirtz (Chiesa, 82′), 18. Gakpo — 22. Ekitike (Gomez, 72′).

Bournemouth (4-3-3, right to left): 1. Petrovic (GK) — 15. Smith, 5. Senesi, 18. Diakite, 3. Truffert — 12. Adams (Kroupi, 90′), 16. Tavernier, 8. Scott (Traore, 74′) — 24. Semenyo, 9. Evanilson, 7. Brooks (Winterburn, 84′).

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Liverpool vs. Bournemouth stats

Liverpool Stat Bournemouth
19 Shots 10
10 Shots on target 3
2.15 Expected goals 1.63
61% Possession 39%
386 Accurate passes 204
6 Corners 7
7 Fouls 10
1 Yellow cards 2

Liverpool vs. Bournemouth live updates, highlights from Premier League

FULLTIME: Liverpool 4-2 Bournemouth

The full-time whistle blows, and it’s all over! Liverpool gacked away a two-goal lead, but managed to work through it and secure an emotional and thrilling victory!

It featured a wonderful fight by Bournemouth throughout it all, but in the end Liverpool’s quality won the day.

90+4 min: GOAL! LIVERPOOL! MOHAMED SALAH SCORES TO SEAL THE GAME!!! LAST YEAR’S GOLDEN BOOT WINNER IS ON THE BOARD!

The Egyptian was already the most prolific player in Premier League opening weekend history, and he’s added to his total by beating James Hill one-on-one and slotting the ball between two players into the net. The Reds are on their way!

88th min: GOAL! LIVERPOOL! FEDERICO CHIESA HAS GIVEN LIVERPOOL A LATE LEAD!!! WHAT A MOMENT!!!!!

Djordje Petrovic parries an initial effort, but Bournemouth fail to clear the ball away effectively, and it falls to Chiesa at the top of the six-yard box where Chiesa’s eyes light up, and he volleys the ball into the back of the net! Anfield has exploded!

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81st min: After Djordje Petrovic palms away Dominik Szoboszlai’s shot, Evanilson gets a yellow card for fouling the Hungarian midfielder.

Florian Wirtz’s debut is over as he’s replaced by Federico Chiesa.

76th min: GOAL! BOURNEMOUTH! ANTOINE SEMENYO RUNS A VICIOUS COUNTER AND TAKES IT HIMSELF FOR A BRACE! BOURNEMOUTH HAVE COME ALL THE WAY BACK!

It’s the second straight match Liverpool have thrown away a 2-0 lead late, and we’re all square at Anfield!

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72nd min: Hugo Ekitike is being withdrawn, as is Alexis Mac Allister. That will bring on Joe Gomez and Curtis Jones, with Gomez likely going to right-back which has been a sieve since Frimpong went off.

64th min: GOAL! BOURNEMOUTH! ANTOINE SEMENYO SCORES ON THE COUNTER-ATTACK! A fantastic ball by Tyler Adams from deep vertically down the left side for David Brooks, who whips a cross along the face of goal for Semenyo to finish on the run! Game on!

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63rd min: Chance, Liverpool! Florian Wirtz guides one just wide of the left post with a first-touch hit! Not far off, beat the goalkeeper but beat the post!

60th min: Arne Slot prepares the first two substitutions of the day as Wataru Endo and Andy Robertson are set to come on. Withdrawn are Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.

52nd min: Chance, Liverpool! Another excellent save by Djordje Petrovic sees Florian Wirtz kept from a debut goal of his own! The Bournemouth shot-stopper parries away an effort out for a corner.

Before the delivery, the referee has to chat with Mohamed Salah and Adam Smith who end up pushing and shoving on the goal mouth.

49th min: GOAL! LIVERPOOL! CODY GAKPO MAKES IT TWO! The Dutchman picks up the ball at the top-left corner of the penalty area, and takes one, then two touches to his right around a pair of Bournemouth defenders, with an exquisite passed finish tucked just between the post and a diving Djordje Petrovic! That’s a wonderful goal!

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2nd half kickoff: No changes for either side as we get back under way at Anfield.

HALFTIME: Liverpool 1-0 Bournemouth

A wildly frantic spell of play that features counter-attacks on both ends brings the first half to a conclusion. A highlly entertaining 45 minutes!

It featured a Hugo Ekitike goal, a blown red card decision, a brief stoppage for racial abuse, and high-quality play from both teams. It’s been a great battle from a tactical perspective, with Bournemouth undoubtedly holding their own.

Unfortunately for the Cherries, Marcos Senesi is having a very difficult time, as he should have been sent off and then was at the heart of the Liverpool goal. This match, however, is very much still up in the air!

42nd min: A yellow card is shown to Milos Kerkez for fouling his former captain Adam Smith very late outside the penalty area to the right. The free-kick from David Brooks is terrible, and then the flag goes up for offside.

37th min: GOAL! LIVERPOOL! HUGO EKITIKE SCORES THE FIRST GOAL OF THE 2025/26 SEASON! The new Liverpool signing squeezes through two Bournemouth players thanks to a fortunate bounce off Marcos Senesi’s shins, and once along against Djordje Petrovic, finishes calmly to the right!

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35th min: Chance, Bournemouth! Marcus Tavernier receives a pinpoint cutback from Adam Smith right on the penalty spot, but fails to get any power on the shot! A really poor missed opportunity on a really high-quality shot! It looks like a dummy by a teammate right in front of him may have put him off.

29th min: There’s now a stoppage of play as referee Anthony Taylor goes over to the touchline to speak with the managers. It’s a very long conversation and both managers are listening intently. There’s no explanation for what the stoppage is about…could there have been racial abuse to give the referee reason for the stoppage?

Both captains are now being informed of the situation, which is reportedly that Antoine Semenyo reported racial abuse. The game then continues with a Liverpool corner.

25th min: Liverpool players and fans have become frustrated by the refereeing of Anthony Taylor, who has whistled for four Liverpool fouls to none for Bournemouth at this point. Finally, David Brooks — who has been booked for delaying a restart — fouls Jeremine Frimpong and the Kop applauds sarcastically.

Meanwhile, an explanation for the Senesi no-call has been given, and it’s…not a good one.

14th min: There’s a major controversy as Marcos Senesi appears to commit a handball in midfield in a potential last-man moment. The initial touch is innocuous, as the ball pops up into his arm off his knee, but the defender then inexplicably reaches out and seems to swipe at the ball with his fingertips and does appear to make contact.

It’s quite an obvious moment for VAR to get involved, but instead they allow it to continue without intervening. The second touch is quite blatantly purposeful, and would have likely resulted in a red card!

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6th min: Chance, Bournemouth! An utterly fabulous ball from Adrien Truffert down the left is placed on a platter for Antoine Semenyo, but his sliding effort is lifted into the sky! A vicious counter-attack that goes unpunished!

4th min: Chance, Liverpool! BRILLIANT save from Djordje Petrovic to stop a curler from Mohamed Salah! It’s a classic, Robben-like cut in from the right flank from the Egyptian, and his left-footed curler is parried away by a spectacular stop!

Kickoff: After a chilling and brilliant minute’s silence for Diogo Jota and Andre Silva, they’re under way at Anfield! The 2025/26 Premier League season is officially under way!

Liverpool vs. Bournemouth: Pre-match commentary, analysis, more

15 mins to kickoff: Diogo Jota’s family will reportedly be at the match tonight, which is a wonderful touch.

30 mins to kickoff: The Premier League is ready for the season to begin! Are you?

45 mins to kickoff: USMNT star Tyler Adams is in the lineup for Bournemouth. It’s been a long summer with a lot of talk, with Adams helping lead an otherwise inexperienced U.S. squad into the Gold Cup final earlier in July. After that match he said he was not at 100% health, so hopefully now the oft-injured midfielder can get himself back to regular match fitness and crack on with a good run of form to start the year.

1 hour to kickoff: Alisson earns his 300th appearance for Liverpool across all competitions tonight, an exceptional accomplishment. His eventual replacement, Giorgi Mamardashvili, is on the bench, but for now the Brazilian remains amongst the best goalkeepers in the world.

1 hour 15 mins to kick: Lineups are in! Wirtz and Ekitike are indeed in for Liverpool to make their Premier League debuts. There are no surprises for either side, as USMNT veteran Tyler Adams starts in midfield for Bournemouth, ahead of their reworked back line.

1 hour 30 mins to kick: Speaking of transfers, Liverpool have confirmed that defender Giovanni Leoni has joined from Parma for around £26 million. He will reportedly be in attendance for the match tonight at Anfield! Still just 18 years old, is Leoni meant to be Virgil van Dijk’s eventual replacement?

1 hour 45 mins to kick: Liverpool and Bournemouth already made a deal this offseason, with Milos Kerkez joining the Reds, and now there’s been a deal in the other direction as reports indicate Ben Doak has made the move to the south coast. A fee hasn’t been agreed, but the negotiations are apparently close for a total of around £25 million.

2 hours to kickoff: Liverpool are betting favourites to repeat as Premier League champions, but they have significant competition, according to the bookmakers. Arsenal and Man City are both expected to challenge hard, and the 2025/26 season is expected to be a close title battle. Who do you think will win the league this year?

Liverpool vs. Bournemouth kick off time

The opening match of the 2025/26 Premier League season kicks off from Anfield Stadium on Friday, August 15 at 8 p.m. local time in Liverpool, England. Here’s how that time translates across some of the major territories around the globe:

  Date Kickoff time
USA/Canada Fri, Aug. 15 3 p.m. ET
USA/Canada Fri, Aug. 15 12 p.m. PT
UK Fri, Aug. 15 8 p.m. BST
Australia Sat, Aug. 16 5 a.m. AEST
India Sat, Aug. 16 12:30 a.m. IST

Liverpool vs. Bournemouth lineups, team news

Ryan Gravenberch, who missed the Community Shield game following the birth of his child, is suspended for the Premier League opener following a red card on the final day of last season. Conor Bradley has a muscle injury and is not available.

Alexis Mac Allister should come into the starting XI, while Milos Kerkez is on course to start against his old team, with Andy Robertson set for the bench. Joe Gomez is back among the substitutes after a long time out with an Achilles issue.

Florian Wirtz set up Hugo Ekitike for the opening goal at Wembley and the pair make their Premier League debuts here today.

Liverpool starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Alisson (GK) — Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez — Mac Allister, Szoboszlai — Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo — Ekitike.

Liverpool subs: Mamardashvili (GK), Robertson, Gomez, Endo, Jones, Elliott, Nyoni, Chiesa, Ngumoha.

Summer departures mean major changes in Andoni Iraola’s back line with Adrien Truffert and Bafode Diakite on course for their Premier League bows at Anfield.

Enes Unal and Lewis Cook remain out as long-term injury absentees, with Luis Sinisterra, Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert all still a few weeks away from a comeback.

Dango Outatarra is available for selection, but with a move to Brentford reportedly close to completion, he has been left out of the squad.

Bournemouth starting lineup (4-3-3): Petrovic (GK) — Smith, Senesi, Diakite, Truffert — Adams, Tavernier, Scott — Semenyo, Evanilson, Brooks.

Bournemouth subs: Dennis (GK), Hill (GK), Araujo, Soler, Winterburn, Traore, Billing, Kroupi, Rees-Dottin.

Liverpool vs. Bournemouth live stream, TV channel

Here is how to watch the match in some of the world’s major regions:

Region TV Streaming
USA USA Network, Universo Fubo, Universo NOW, Telemundo Deportes en Vivo
Canada — Fubo Canada
UK Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League Sky Sports Extra
Australia — Stan Sport
India Star Sports Select 1 Disney+ Hotstar

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