17/08/2025

SUNDAY | AUG 17, 2025

Read

iPaper at Malaysian Paper

www.thesun.my Free access to iPaper PDF Download

app from the App Store or Google Play TM . Malaysian Paper or download

SCAN ME

Malaysian Paper

Ekitike lights up Anfield Liverpool win over Bournemouth marked by grief and marred by racist abuse

LIVERPOOL struck twice in the final minutes through Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah to overcome a battling Bournemouth 4-2 in a thrilling start to the Premier League sea son yesterday. Antoine Semenyo looked to have rescued a point for the Cherries by scoring twice, after he had reported an incident of racial abuse from a fan, to cancel out Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo’s strikes for the defending champi ons. But on an emotive night as Anfield remembered Diogo Jota, Chiesa was the unlikely hero as the injury-hit Italian fired the home side back in front before Salah rounded off the scoring. Liverpool’s joy at celebrating a record-equalling 19th English top flight title turned to tragedy dur ing the off-season as forward Jota was killed alongside his brother Andre Silva in a car accident last month at the age of 28. Just 11 days prior to the acci dent, the Portuguese interna tional had married Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children. A large banner at the front of The Kop stand read: “Rute, Dinis, Duarte, Mafalda – Anfield will always be your home. You’ll Never Walk Alone.” During a minute’s silence, fans held up a giant mosaic with the initials of Jota and Silva, who was also a footballer, and their shirt numbers in the Portuguese flag. Jota’s No. 20 has been retired by Liverpool and will be remem bered with a permanent sculp ture outside Anfield. “Forever 20” will be printed on the shirts and matchday jackets of the Liverpool squad for the remainder of the season. “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,” Liverpool man ager Arne Slot said in his pro gramme notes. “I believe that Diogo’s wife, his children and his family will be in attendance and 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 main emotion should be how emotive the tribute for Diogo

was,” said Liverpool boss Arne Slot. “It was all so impressive and powerful.” Despite romping to the title with four games to spare last sea son, Liverpool have undergone a major transformation in the transfer market. Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong made their first com petitive starts for the Reds. More could be yet to come with Liverpool linked with a British transfer record move for Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and interested in Crystal Palace cap tain Marc Guehi. The visitors were fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men less than 15 minutes in when Marcos Senesi clearly directed the ball out of Ekitike’s path with his hand when the French striker had a clear run at goal, but VAR surpris ingly did not intervene. The game was briefly halted on the half hour mark as Semenyo reported to referee Anthony Taylor he had been the subject of racist abuse from a Liverpool sup porter, who was seen to be removed from the stands by police at halftime. “Totally unacceptable,” said Bournemouth captain Adam Smith. “Kind of in shock it hap pened in this day and age.” Liverpool said in a statement the incident is now the subject of an ongoing police investigation. Shortly after the resumption, Ekitike settled Liverpool’s nerves as he got the break of the ball and slotted past Dorde Petrovic. Gakpo then coolly left two Bournemouth defenders on the ground and rolled into the bottom corner just after half-time. But Slot’s men have struggled to find the right balance in pre season and in losing the Community Shield to Palace last weekend as a new-look slick attack could not compensate for wide open defensive gaps on the counter-attack and so it proved again. David Brooks broke the offside trap and squared for Semenyo to pull a goal back.

Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike (left) in action against Bournemouth’s Evanilson during the English Premier League 2025/26 season opening match at Anfield yesterday. – AFPPIC

used by Slot in his debut season in England but became the unlikely hero when he pounced on a loose ball inside the Bournemouth box on 89 minutes. Salah then broke clear in stop page time to score his customary goal in the opening game of the season and paid his own homage to Jota by mimicking one of his goal celebrations. The Egyptian then broke down in tears after full-time as a chant in Jota’s name was belted out from the stands. – AFP

The then rounded off his eventful eve ning for good and bad with an incredible equaliser. Semenyo collected pos session just outside his own box and sprinted through a vacant Liverpool midfield before firing into the bottom cor ner 13 minutes from time. C h i e s a was barely Ghanaian

Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates their third goal. – REUTERSPIC

theSun is published and printed by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd (221220-K) of Lot 6, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 03-7784 6688 • Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2625 Email: newsdesk@thesundaily.com • Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888 Email: advertise@thesundaily.com