Champions League 2019: Liverpool clinch title after controversial Salah penalty and late Origi goal
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ByEurosport
Updated 02/06/2019 at 00:33 GMT
Champions League final, Wanda Metropolitano - Tottenham 0 Liverpool 2 (Salah 2', Origi 87')
Jordan Henderson lifts the European Cup for Liverpool
Image credit: Getty Images
Liverpool clinched the Champions League title in Madrid after a controversial Mo Salah penalty, awarded after 24 seconds, and a late Divock Origi strike sank Spurs.
A year after their defeat to Real Madrid, Jurgen Klopp’s men won their sixth European Cup which was set up after Moussa Sissoko handled the ball in the box after trying to close down Sadio Mane in the first passage of play.
The ball appeared to strike his chest before his arm but, after consulting with VAR, the referee Damir Skomina upheld his original decision.
It was Salah, with the heartache of last year's final when he was forced off with injury still fresh in his mind, who buried the spot-kick past Hugo Lloris and a disjointed Tottenham side, who risked the fit-again Harry Kane and Harry Winks in their starting line-up, could not muster much to trouble their opponents for the rest of the first half.
Although Mauricio Pochettino’s men improved in the second period, and had chances to equalise, they could not pull off another remarkable comeback, with Origi - who scored the final goal for the Reds in their semi-final win over Barcelona - sealing the win for Liverpool with a laser-like strike in the 87th minute.
In truth, after one of the most gripping seasons in recent history, the showpiece in club football proved an anti-climax. But Liverpool and Klopp will care little, the German celebrating his first trophy as Reds manager.
For Spurs and Pochettino, their long wait for a trophy continues. Whether the Argentine will be around at the start of next season remains to be seen.
TALKING POINT - Richly deserved success for Liverpool and Klopp
After the heartache of missing out on the Premier League with a record 97 points, it is only right this fantastic, free-flowing, fluid, ruthless Reds team end the season with the biggest trophy of them all. Ironically, few of their usual characteristics were on display in what was one of their poorest displays of the season. Not that Jurgen Klopp will care. After six successive cup final defeats, the German finally gets his hand on some much needed silverware. Silverware, he hopes, will only be the start of something truly special with this brilliant group of talented, young and hungry players.
MAN OF THE MATCH - Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool)
Liverpool's player of the season, arguably Europe's best of the season - and he was the standout player in a contest of poor quality. The man mountain was first to every header, while his rapid pace and reading of the game helped thwart Spurs' misfiring front-line.
PLAYER RATINGS
Liverpool: Allison 7, Alexander-Arnold 7, Van Dijk 8, Matip 6, Robertson 7, Fabinho 6, Henderson 5, Wijnaldum 5, Salah 6, Mane 6, Firmino 5. Subs: Milner 6, Gomez N/A, Origi 7.
Tottenham: Lloris 6, Trippier 5, Alderweireld 5, Vertonghen 5, Rose 5, Winks 4, Sissoko 5, Eriksen 5, Son 6, Alli 5, Kane 4. Subs: Dier 4, Lucas 5, Llorente 4.
KEY MOMENTS
1' - PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL! Unbelievable! It's a handball from Sissoko. But wait, we are going to VAR! THE PENALTY IS GIVEN! Salah steps up to take it...
2' - GOAL! Tottenham 0-1 Liverpool! Salah powers it past Lloris and Liverpool have a DREAM start to the Champions League final! Tottenham, what are you made of?
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Mohamed Salah of Liverpool scores the opening goal during the UEFA Champions League Final between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool
Image credit: Getty Images
38' - THAT'S BETTER! Robertson eats up a lot of ground and with few options, he lines up a shot from all of 30 yards. And it's an absolute rocket. Lloris does well to tip it over the bar and the Scotland international still hasn't scored this season. But that was a cracking effort.
80' - DOUBLE SAVE! Alisson called into action, not just once but twice! Son's shot from distance is dipping and Alisson makes an awkward save. It comes back out to Moura who can only poke a toe at it and the Liverpool shot-stopper id down again to hold it.
87' - GOAL! Tottenham 0-2 Liverpool: Divock Origi, their hero against Barcelona, seals Liverpool's sixth European trophy! Tottenham fail to clear their lines from a corner, it falls to the Belgian who rifles a shot across goal and into the bottom corner.
KEY STATS
- Liverpool (35.4%) have become the first side to win the Champions League final despite having less possession than the opposition since Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich in 2010, also in Madrid.
- The Reds have won their sixth Champions League/European Cup trophy – twice as many as any other English team has won (Man Utd, 3).
- Jurgen Klopp is the fourth Liverpool manager to win the Champions League/European Cup after Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Rafa Benitez.
- Divock Origi is only the second Belgium player to score in a Champions League/European Cup final after Yannick Carrasco for Atletico vs Real Madrid in 2016; Origi has scored with all three of his shots in the Champions League this season.
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Divock Origi of Liverpool scores his sides second goal during the UEFA Champions League Final between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on June 01, 2019 in Madrid, Spain.
Image credit: Getty Images
- Harry Kane had just 11 touches during the first half of the Champions League final; fewer than any other Tottenham player.
- Mohamed Salah is the fifth different African player to score in a Champions League/European Cup final after Rabah Madjer, Samuel Eto'o, Didier Drogba and Sadio Mane.
- Salah’s opener for Liverpool is the second fastest goal in a Champions League final, only behind Paolo Maldni (00:50) for AC Milan versus Liverpool in 2005.
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