Still Available and Useful, Chiesa Transforms into Jota at Anfield

LIVERPOOL, FRIDAY — Amid the uncertainty of the future, forward Federico Chiesa came off the bench and saved Liverpool's face in the opening match of the Premier League. Chiesa has proven to still be present and valuable for "The Reds" despite rumors of his departure. This heroic act could change the course of his story.

From Liverpool's debut striker Hugo Ekitike, Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, to Chiesa. These are the figures who have the potential to be the standout players in Liverpool's dramatic 4-2 victory over Bournemouth at Anfield Stadium on Saturday (16/8/2025 WIB).

Chiesa came on with eight minutes remaining in normal time, replacing midfielder Florian Wirtz, and became the real hero. He scored the decisive goal in the 88th minute to restore the hosts' 3-2 lead. Liverpool had taken an early 2-0 lead thanks to a goal and an assist from Ekitike, but were leveled by a brace from Semenyo.

"Fantastic. He entered the field at the end of the match because we needed a goal," said Liverpool coach, Arne Slot, regarding the decision to substitute Wirtz. "For him to score at a moment like this is very special. Moreover, the fans supported him greatly. It feels good that he repaid them with a great goal," he continued.

The hero that Liverpool needs is not Wirtz, the new player who broke the English transfer record. The German national team midfielder appears to still be adapting in his debut at Anfield Stadium, adjusting to the "tough" style of play in the Premier League. He lost possession of the ball more often (3 times) than he took shots (1).

Chiesa was able to exert more influence as he was directly assigned to the penalty area. The former Juventus player replaced Ekitike, who was withdrawn in the 72nd minute. He was fortunate to be in the right position when a scramble occurred in front of the goal. With just one touch, a goal was scored.

It took me a year to score in the league, but as the Italians say: Better late than never.

Chiesa's presence was able to fill the void left by the late Diogo Jota. "Usually in a 2-2 position like earlier, everyone knows which player I would call. I would have brought in Jota, but I couldn't due to unfortunate circumstances," said Slot, who was deeply focused during the one-minute moment of silence in tribute to Jota.

Chiesa is rumored to be leaving during this transfer window due to a lack of playing time. In his first season with Liverpool last year, he played for less than 500 minutes across all competitions. The star figure from the 2020 European Championship contributed only two goals and two assists throughout the season.

Slot had stated before the Community Shield match last week that Chiesa had a place in the Liverpool squad. The coach proved his words in the recent match. Chiesa responded to that trust decisively. Through this contribution, it is very likely that Chiesa will be retained to fill the role of Jota's "super substitute."

Chiesa stated that the decisive goal was a great moment for him. However, his thoughts were solely focused on Jota. It was no coincidence that he was able to score his first goal in the Premier League on the day honoring Jota. Chiesa was determined to dedicate the victory to his teammate. "It took me a year to score in the league, but as the Italians say: Better late than never," he said.

Liverpool's star winger, Mohamed Salah, sealed the win with a goal in injury time. It was Salah's 10th goal in Liverpool's opening league match. No other player has scored more goals than Salah in the opening week of the league.

Regardless of Salah's record, the most special performance was displayed by Ekitike. The 23-year-old player showcased his best potential in his debut at Anfield. He initiated a goal and an assist (for Cody Gakpo) single-handedly through his sharp instincts in the penalty area. Ekitike consistently caused problems with his height of 190 centimeters and a pair of long legs.

"That was a good performance. I can still do better than that. But the most important thing is that we won and showed a strong mentality. We wanted to win for the fans who came and for Diogo. We managed to do that. I am happy for everyone," said Ekitike.

On the other hand, alarm bells are ringing again for Liverpool's defense. After losing in the Community Shield due to failing to maintain their lead, Virgil van Dijk and his teammates nearly repeated the same mistake. They were caught off guard, conceding two goals from the opponent's counter-attack, finished by Semenyo.

Fortunately, Bournemouth's defense is even worse. The visiting team arrived after losing four of the five key defenders from last season, including Milos Kerkez who transferred to Liverpool and Dean Huijsen. When under heavy attack, the team coached by Andoni Iraola appeared to be in a state of panic.

The entire Anfield sang a song about Jota after the final whistle. Overcome with emotion, Salah could not hold back his tears. Jota's tribute day should have ended perfectly following that dramatic victory. However, that beautiful moment was slightly marred by a case of racial abuse directed at Semenyo by one of the spectators.

Referee Anthony Taylor temporarily halted the match in the first half due to the incident. "It is truly embarrassing that we have to start discussing things like this again. The manager and the players of Liverpool feel the same way. Everyone understands that (racism) must be eradicated from everywhere, especially football," emphasized Iraola. (AP/REUTERS)