dark. Just two minutes after the restart, Firmino comes even closer
when his shot hits the inside of the post and bounces back across
goal. Is it one of those days?
Alisson has to make a decent save from Gabriel Barbosa, Alex
Oxlade-Chamberlain is forced of with an ankle injury and Salah
has a goal ruled out for ofside before Flamengo goalkeeper Diego
Alves tips a Salah efort over. The former Valencia keeper is also
mysteriously struck down by repeated bouts of cramp whenever
Liverpool are just getting into their stride. How strange.
Then comes the drama. With a minute of stoppage-time played
Mane runs through and seems set to score until being impeded
by Rainha on the edge of the box. Referee Al Jassim points to
the spot and books the full-back. But he’s soon surrounded by
Flamengo players who demand he consults VAR.
He heads over to the pitchside monitor where replays show
that Mane was marginally outside the box when fouled. It should
be a free-kick and red card for Rainha, but unfortunately the
referee is out of his depth and makes one of the most bizarre
decisions ever – an uncontested drop-ball for Flamengo. To call
it incomprehensible is an understatement. No wonder a bemused
Klopp can only smile in disbelief on the touchline.
So extra-time it is, the last thing Liverpool need after a busier
week than Craig David, but it proves to be third-time-lucky for
Firmino in the 99th minute.
Skipper Henderson, the Reds’ best player on the night, sends
Mane away again with a brilliant pass. This time the Senegalese
speedster slips the ball across to Firmino, who turns back inside
centre-half Rodrigo Caio, sending Diego Alves to the ground at the
same time, before iring the ball into the net. GOAL! 1-0 Liverpool.
Bobby whips his shirt of in celebration – something you can
only do in Qatar on a football pitch – and sprints to the touchline
before leaping into the air. Within moments all you can hear ringing
around the Khaliia is his song. Never before has the line ‘the best in
the world is Bobby Firmino’ sounded more apt.
Flamengo look spent, although at least the goal has miraculously
cured Diego Alves’ cramp. They manage to create just one chance
to equalise, substitute Lincoln lifting a clear-cut chance over in
the 119th minute. Moments later the inal whistle blows. Liverpool
Football Club, for the irst time, are champions of the world.
On the pitch the Liverpool players celebrate. Of the pitch the
Liverpool fans celebrate. Back at Melwood the fella who updates
the Champions Wall will be getting paid overtime.
It takes ages for the trophy presentation to get underway while
the on-pitch stage is constructed. The Gini Wijnaldum song is
played over the PA system, prompting his team-mates to sing it
at him, before there are wild cheers as Salah is presented with the
antfer
(Antfer)
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