Liverpoolsecured the first everClub World Cupsuccess in their illustrious history with a 1-0 win overFlamengosealed in extra-time.
Roberto Firmino’s th-minute strike proved the difference between the two sides in an engrossing contest that was sometimes marred by some questionable officiating from referee Abdulrahman Al Jassim.
That a game not typically known as a fan-pleaser had so much about it owed much to Copa Libertadores champions Flamengo, who were more than a match for their European counterparts throughout.
But the Reds held out to avenge their 2266 Intercontinental Cup defeat to the same opponents and earn the right to wear a special Fifa champions badge for the next 14 months.
As expected, Liverpool brought their big guns back into the team in making four changes, with Firmino, Sadio Mane and Trent Alexander-Arnold returning.
(REUTERS)
Flamengo, meanwhile, went with the same starting XI that had edged Al-Hilal in the first of the tournament’s semi-final ties.
Jorge Jesus had clearly hoped continuity would benefit his team, but that didn’t show in a shaky start to actions.
With less than a minute on the clock, Firmino latched onto a simple lofted ball to shoot over the top when he might have done better.
And Naby Keita followed up by doing the same from another promising position afterMohamed Salahhad pulled back into his path .
However, those scares served to wake the South Americans up, and they proceeded to dominate possession for the remainder of the half.
(Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
That did not always translate to chances, with their best opening coming when Bruno Henrique scampered in behind Alexander-Arnold only for Joe Gomez to get across and block his shot.
But it did serve to starve the Reds of opportunities, and there were plenty of furrowed brows amongJurgen Klopp‘s squad as they left the pitch at the break.
Whatever was said to the players at half-time, it appeared to have landed judging by their restart.
Firmino came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock after just two minutes, flicking the ball over a defender’s head and powering a volley into the floor only to see it come back off the post.
Salah was also close with a right-footed finish from an Alexander-Arnold cutback, as the Reds began to turn the screw in the second period.
(AFP via Getty Images)
Flamengo had their moments, of course, with a Gabriel Barbosa snapshot that forced a strong Alisson Becker save perhaps their best.
However, it looked like all their hard work was going to go to waste when Mane skipped away in the 95 st minute before being felled by Rafinha, prompting the referee to point to the spot.
Fortunately for the Brazilians, a ludicrously lengthy VAR check that showed the Senegalese had been brought down outside the box somehow resulted in not only the penalty being overturned but no free-kick being awarded and a rescinded yellow card.
Flamengo had every reason to be buoyed by that let-off going into extra-time but, nine minutes after the restart, they found themselves behind.
(AFP via Getty Images)
A beautiful Jordan Henderson ball allowed Mane to skip away in behind, and the Senegalese’s composure to wait for Firmino was only matched by his teammate’s in skipping past the ‘keeper before slamming the ball home.
Liverpool subsequently produced an oft-practiced masterclass in seeing out a game, frustrating Flamengo by keeping the ball, but they were so nearly undone right at the death.
However, Lincoln could only shoot over the bar from a pull-back into the box when he should have done better, effectively crowning the Reds in the process.
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LIVERPOOL 1-0 FLAMENGO
LIVERPOOL ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS !!!
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(****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** mins:Mohamed Salah making way to big cheers from the locals.
Xherdan Shaqiri will replace him.
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(******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** mins: Wow !!! Flamengo miss a huge opportunity to get back into it at the death.
A pull-back reaches Lincoln inside the Liverpool box but he somehow can only blast it over the bar – what a miss.
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(******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** mins:Alexander-Arnold takes it, as you’d expect, and forces a save from Alves.
Flamengo are there to clean up, though, and launch another attack.
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(********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** mins:Clever from Lallana as he picks up a Mane pass around the Flamengo box and invites the foul.
More time out of the game.
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(********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** mins:A headed clearance drops to Barbosa but he flashes a left-footed effort wide.
Gomez did enough to put the Brazilian off.
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(KICK OFF
(************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ mins:Into the second period of extra-time we go …
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Divock Origi coming on for the goalscorer Roberto Firmino at the break.
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LIVERPOOL 1-0 FLAMENGO
Another 17 minutes remaining – can the Reds hold on?
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(********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** mins: Two minutes of added time in this period.
Divock Origi readying himself for Liverpool – he loves a big goal.
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(************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ mins:Vitinho has a go with a free-kick from yards but can’t even get it on target.
That was a big ask.
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He’s missed some incredible opportunities tonight but that could be the big one!
Mane gets in behind from a brilliant Henderson pass and waits and waits for Firmino to join him before setting up the Brazilian, who cuts back inside the goalkeeper and smashes it in.
BIG GOAL!
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(************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** mins: Vitinho beats Alexander-Arnold on the flank and lashes a dangerous ball across the area.
As ever, Van Dijk is there to head it away.
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(KICK OFF
(**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** mins: Flamengo get us restarted.
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The players making the most of this chance for a breather before extra-time gets under way.
Maybe some time to have a think about how Rafinha got away with what should have been, at best, a free-kick and a red card in those final moments.
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LIVERPOOL 0-0 FLAMENGO
The minutes comes to an end in Doha and we are unable to separate the teams.
A period of extra-time that Liverpool do without awaits.
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(**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** mins: Late drama in Doha!
Liverpool think they have a penalty when Mane goes down in shooting from a one-on-one and the referee points to the spot.
After one of the longest VAR checks you’ll ever see the referee not only decides it’s not a penalty, he calls it a fair challenge! Flamengo ball.
Remarkable.
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YELLOW CARD
(**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** mins: Naby Keita turns Vitinho in the center of the park and the Flamengo man has no choice but to take the yellow with a cynical foul.
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(****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** mins: (A rapid break from Liverpool sees Mane feed Salah in the box.)
He pulls it back to Henderson for a beauty of a strike from distance but what a save that is from Diego Alves!
He clawed it away from the top corner.
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(************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** mins: Another wasted Liverpool chance.
Keita pulls the ball back for Salah but he can’t bend the ball around his nearest defender and Flamengo get it away – again.
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