Liverpool strike late to edge Cherries

JOTA REMEMBERED IN PREMIER LEAGUE OPENER

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>>LIVERPOOL: 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 season on Friday.

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 champions.

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 topflight title turned to tragedy during 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 accident, the Portuguese international 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.