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Up to date 3m in the past
Reigning champions Liverpool are main Bournemouth 2-0 within the second half of the opening sport of the brand new Premier League season.
Hugo Ekitike, signed this summer season from Eintracht Frankfurt for an preliminary £69m, marked his first league start for Liverpool with a goal (37').
Shortly after half time (49'), Cody Gakpo doubled the hosts’ lead with a side-footed end.
The Premier League opener had earlier been paused after Antoine Semenyo reported being racially abused by someone in the crowd.
‘Liverpool, Liverpool high of the league’ is the mantra from the Kop.
Having scored the opener, Ekitike offers the help for Gakpo to make it 2-0. The Dutchman took that brilliantly.
With Luis Diaz gone, there's much more duty on Gakpo's shoulders to ship objectives this season.
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53' Liverpool 2-0 Bournemouth
Alexis Mac Allister then picks the ball up exterior the field, works a half-yard of house, and pings it diagonally in direction of the top-left nook.
Actually good tip over from the Serb.
From the nook, Bournemouth captain Adam Smith and Mo Salah sq. up after some push-and-shove began by an unintentional bump.
We transfer on, nook taken, cleared.
51' Liverpool 2-0 Bournemouth
As soon as once more, Hugo Ekitike was concerned!
He holds it up and makes use of the ball so nicely, the 23-year-old Frenchman.
Ekitike drops it off to Cody Gakpo, who’s stealing in from the left wing in direction of the field.
He fakes to shoot as soon as, twice, crabbing horizontally throughout the world, till he has room to shoot.
Which he does, passing the ball into the bottom-right nook previous a helpless Petrovic. Easy as that.
49' Liverpool 2-0 Bournemouth
Cody Gakpo makes it 2-0!
And he holds up his fingers to make a ‘2’ and a ‘0’, referencing his former team-mate Diogo Jota, who tragically handed away this summer season.
That indicators the rating tonight now too.
47' Liverpool 1-0 Bournemouth
Hugo Ekitike appears a participant and a half.
The brand new signing pulls off a flashy back-heel to Florian Wirtz, whose move is put behind for a nook.
We’re again underneath approach at Anfield!
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That’s the definition of pleasure in a single photograph.
Hugo Ekitike is off the mark.
Almost again into the motion…
The opening sport of the brand new Premier League season was earlier stopped within the first half after Bournemouth ahead Antoine Semenyo reported being racially abused by somebody within the crowd.
Referee Anthony Taylor paused the sport to speak to Semenyo as Liverpool ready to take a nook.
Taylor then jogged to the technical areas to talk to Liverpool supervisor Arne Slot and his Bournemouth counterpart Andoni Iraola.
Taylor additionally spoke to each captains, Virgil van Dijk and Adam Smith, earlier than the sport resumed round two minutes later.
An anti-discrimination message was then learn out to the Anfield crowd as soon as the half-time whistle had blown.
The previous Manchester United defender Gary Neville, working as a pundit for the UK broadcaster Sky Sports activities, stated the alleged incident had “overshadowed what ought to be an incredible evening”.
He added: “It’s despicable. I can’t even start to suppose what will likely be going by way of somebody’s thoughts. Nonetheless, it’s occurred, it is going to carry on occurring and it's a sorry state.”
Bournemouth had been maybe lucky to not be penalised additional as Marcos Senesi appeared to deal with the ball away from Hugo Ekitike early in that first half.
The Premier League Match Centre launched a press release on social media web site X explaining the choice.
It reads: “The referee’s name of no purple card to Senesi was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the motion deemed to not be a transparent handball offence nor denial of a objective scoring alternative (DOGSO), because of the distance from objective.”
I'm with them on the DOGSO, nevertheless it did appear a reasonably clear handball…
What did you consider the incident? Tell us by way of our electronic mail: dwell@theathletic.com
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Liverpool in entrance on the break however I don't suppose Slot will likely be notably happy by what he's seen.
Vivid begin from the champions, who threatened by way of Salah early on. Nonetheless, then they misplaced their approach. Disjointed and susceptible on the counter assault.
Ekitike's objective got here out of nothing and supplied a well timed increase for the hosts however a number of room for enchancment within the second half.
What an action-packed finish to the half.
Hopefully that bodes nicely for the second half too.
That's the break!
45+3' Liverpool 1-0 Bournemouth
It's all occurring now!
Bournemouth raise it into the field and need a penalty as Alexis Mac Allister slides in to attempt to block and makes contact with Alex Scott, who had jumped in direction of the ball in an try to fulfill it on the volley.
VAR upholds the choice of no penalty.
Then Liverpool burst up the opposite finish, severely outnumbering Bournemouth, Gakpo out to Salah, who cuts again infield on the lookout for the shot… brilliantly blocked by a sliding Adrien Truffert, who has completed nicely towards the Egyptian thus far.
And…
45+2' Liverpool 1-0 Bournemouth
Three minutes added on on the finish of the half.
Bournemouth’s Scott and Tavernier stand over a free kick simply exterior the field.
Massive run up… straight at Salah.
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44' Liverpool 1-0 Bournemouth
Milos Kerkez has been a bit frantic towards his former aspect, possibly a bit of too eager to impress.
He simply flew right into a reckless sliding sort out on his outdated captain Adam Smith, bringing his fellow full-back down.
Mistimed, and yellow. Andy Robertson warms up on the sidelines.
A change within the offing appears shrewd for Arne Slot.
42' Liverpool 1-0 Bournemouth
Moments after his objective, with Bournemouth all over defensively, Cody Gakpo swings in a cross from the left to the again submit.
Ekitike is free however nods it narrowly over.
Almost two for him and Liverpool.
Hugo Ekitike has loved a flying begin to his Liverpool profession.
A nice objective at Wembley final weekend and now he has opened his account within the Premier League. He had a little bit of luck with the ball bouncing into his path off Senesi nevertheless it was a cool end as he despatched Petrovic the improper approach.
The Kop have already give you a tune for him. To the tune of ‘Do The Conga’ by Black Lace.