Liverpool have won the Champions League Final.
In a game that was honestly a bit of snooze for much of the 90 minutes, the Liverpool side controlled the action and saw out the game after an early penalty decision.
The penalty moment came just 25 seconds in, when Sadio Mane lifted a cross into the hand of Sissoko, and the referee didn’t hesitate. Mohamed Salah stepped up to the spot and smashed a left-footed drive down the middle, and Liverpool had their lead.
For the next 80 or so minutes, they were happy to hold it. A brilliant performance from keeper Alisson, as well as Virgil Van Djik, saw Tottenham struggle to really threaten Liverpool. Spurs eventually got going forward, but were punished in the 87th minute when Divock Origi, off the bench, scored a left-footed shot in the bottom right hand corner to put the game away.
See the highlights below:
Highlights and Analysis
1′ — PENALTY GIVEN TO LIVERPOOL INSIDE 30 SECONDS.
Unreal. Mane gets the ball at the edge of the box, plays it across, straight into Sissoko’s arm. Call me crazy, but I think Mane sees Sissoko’s hand up and did it on purpose?
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2′ — GOAL LIVERPOOL. SALAH FROM THE SPOT.
Salah smashes home and we’ve got a goal before the third minute. I never thought this game would be boring but this is ridiculous.
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Halftime. Liverpool 1 – 0 Spurs
That was … a half of soccer.
Liverpool got the early goal, and then settled in to defend. Heung-Min Son looked to break behind the defense a time or two, but otherwise, Tottenham just haven’t looked really threatening going forward.
Hard to do, but I think Mauricio Pochettino needs to switch something up in the second half, or Virgil Van Djik and Co. are just going to put this game away.
87′ — GOAL LIVERPOOL. DIVOCK ORIGI. LIVERPOOL 2 – 0 SPURS.
That should do it. Tottenham had been playing better, too, but Origi took his chance and buried a shot in the bottom corner.
***
90 + 5′ LIVERPOOL HAVE DONE IT. FINAL SCORE 2-0.
Lineups
Match Preview
It’s here.
The biggest club football game of the world is happening this Saturday as two premier league sides — Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur — take one another on in the match to decide who are the kings of Europe.
Early news in from the match has Harry Kane returning to the Spurs side and starting over Lucas Moura, the hero of the semifinal who scored a hat trick in the second leg against Spurs.
For Liverpool, Firmino makes his return to the starting eleven for Jurgen Klopp’s side. Liverpool have to be considered the favorites going against a Spurs side making its first ever Champions League final appearance, but Tottenham has shown a wild resiliency throughout this tournament and nothing they do would surprise me.
