- Ghanaian striker Antoine Semenyo netted a brace in Bournemouth’s 2025/26 season opener
- His heroics couldn’t stop the Cherries from falling to Liverpool, who sealed victory in the six-goal thriller
- The 25-year-old’s standout display was marred by a vile act of racism from an enraged Liverpool supporter
Antoine Semenyo had every reason to let the night get the better of him. The Ghanaian forward endured a deeply unpleasant first half at Anfield after being subjected to racial abuse.
Yet instead of folding, he channelled the frustration into fuel, producing a second-half performance that lit up the opening weekend of the Premier League.
Source: Getty Images
Semenyo overcomes racial abuse to net brace
The match began with Liverpool’s newest star, Hugo Ekitike, stealing the spotlight.
The French striker broke the deadlock in the 37th minute with a crisp finish that had the home crowd roaring.
Four minutes into the second half, Ekitike doubled both his personal tally and Liverpool’s lead, seemingly putting the game out of Bournemouth’s reach.
Just as the Reds appeared in full control, manager Arne Slot made a pair of puzzling substitutions, withdrawing wing-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.
The decision handed Bournemouth more space to work with, and the visitors wasted little time in making it count.
David Brooks whipped in a precise cross from the left, and Semenyo, who was racially abused by a fan, arrived at the right place, right time, to tap home from close range in the 64th minute.
The goal not only halved the deficit but also shifted the momentum of the match.
Sensing Liverpool’s vulnerability, Semenyo struck again. This time, he powered through acres of unguarded midfield space before dispatching a composed finish past Alisson, leaving the Brazilian rooted to the spot.
In just over 10 minutes, Bournemouth’s fortunes had completely flipped.
Semenyo’s brace made him only the second player of the season, after Ekitike, to score twice in a Premier League game.
More notably, he became the first Ghanaian, and the first African ahead of Mohamed Salah, to score on the opening day of the 2025/26 campaign.
Sadly for Semenyo, his brilliant performance counted for little as substitute Federico Chiesa restored Liverpool’s lead with a stunning strike just six minutes after coming on.
Despite their relentless effort, Bournemouth couldn’t break through a Liverpool defence that appeared shaky at times.
To make matters worse, Mohamed Salah maintained his remarkable opening-day record, either scoring or assisting in every Premier League season he has played.
Semenyo may have had the distinction of being the first African to score this season, but Salah’s clinical finish sealed the result for the Reds.
It was a frustrating outcome for the Cherries, especially after a strong second-half display, but they will aim to bounce back when they face Wolves on August 23.
Source: YEN.com.gh
