HUGO EKITIKE SCORES HIS FIRST PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL FOR LIVERPOOL ⚡ – DEDICATES IT TO DIOGO JOTA ❤️
Anfield erupted in the 74th minute when Hugo Ekitike, Liverpool’s £68 million summer signing, announced himself to the Premier League with a goal that was as much about heart as it was about finishing.
With the match still tense after the earlier VAR controversy, Ekitike timed his run perfectly to meet Florian Wirtz’s threaded through ball, bursting between two defenders before slotting calmly past Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto. The Frenchman wheeled away in celebration but quickly slowed, his expression turning from elation to solemn respect.
Reaching the corner of The Kop, Ekitike raised his hands and formed the number “20” with his fingers, holding the gesture aloft for several seconds. The stadium responded with a deafening roar, the tribute unmistakable — for Diogo Jota, Liverpool’s No. 20, whose life was tragically cut short in July.
Teammates joined in the embrace, with Virgil van Dijk pointing toward the Main Stand where Jota’s wife, Rute, and their children stood watching. The cameras caught Rute wiping away tears, the entire stadium on its feet in a unified ovation.
It wasn’t just a debut goal. It was a statement — that the new generation of Liverpool players understood the legacy they were stepping into, and that Jota’s presence was still felt in every attack, every celebration, every heartbeat of Anfield.
