NOTHING can stop this current Liverpool team. Not even VAR.
This side, moulded together, improved and now refined by Jurgen Klopp over these past four seasons, is now one which will be celebrated as truly great.
Roberto Firmino struck in extra time to hand Liverpool their first ever Fifa Club World Cup titleCredit: Getty – Contributor
The Brazilian rounded the keeper and slotted into an empty netCredit: AFP or licensors
For the first time, Liverpool can consider themselves to be the best team in the world.
On a night of drama and entertainment here at the Khalifa International Stadium, the Reds were denied an injury-time penalty.
Liverpool had been handed the 91st-minute spot-kick by Qatar ref Taleb Al Jassim for a foul on Sadio Mane by Flamengo defender Rafinha.
But after being urged to check his TV screen, the official insisted there had been no foul and Rafinha had his yellow card rescinded.
And though VAR proved any contact was outside the box anyway, the ref enraged Klopp and Co by bizarrely giving the Brazilians a free-kick.
Instead, it was left to Brazilian striker Roberto Firmino to break the hearts of 40million fans who support Flamengo in his own country as he hit the winner in the first period of extra-time.
Like in many of their games this season, Liverpool did not appear at their very best.
And yet, Klopp’s side did just enough because they were clinical when they needed to be. And this, of course, is the sign of ALL great teams.
Firmino, certainly, is not having the best of seasons and has yet to score at Anfield. But no one will care as his well-taken goal earned Liverpool another glory night.
He left the keeper and defender scrambling as he slotted homeCredit: Getty – Contributor
Firmino was mobbed by his teammates as he celebrated his winnerCredit: Getty – Contributor
Arguments can now rage over whether this is THE best Liverpool team of all time and only time will tell.
For the moment, it is obviously not. Yet this success is the latest pot in what will surely be a period of dominance by Liverpool — certainly in England.
As this game went into extra-time, Manchester City had done their bit by beating Leicester, which means they may as well hand over the Premier League trophy when Klopp and his team land back from Qatar today. Klopp has spent the last few months moaning about the number of games his team have been forced to play.
And in fairness, this was their 56th competitive game of 2019.
But had he swapped notes with the Flamengo coaching staff, he would not have received much sympathy in return.
Incredibly, this was the Rio-based club’s 79th fixture of the year.
Although some tickets were priced at £20, the best ones cost £80 — more than a week’s salary for those who have been helping to build the stadiums out here for the 2022 World Cup.
With the 15,000 Brazilian fans vastly outnumbering Liverpool’s 1,000 travelling supporters, it certainly felt like a Flamengo home game.
Incredibly, Firmino could have silenced them after 40 seconds when he ballooned a shot over the bar, while Naby Keita’s finishing was not any better soon after.
Flamengo’s thirtysomething full-backs, former Bayern Munich star Rafinha and Felipe Luis, who had that one disastrous season at Chelsea, were certainly finding themselves at full stretch. After an injury a few months ago, Rafinha now wears protective headgear and fellow Brazilian David Luiz put him in touch with former Chelsea team-mates Petr Cech to acquire the item.
But a tactical change helped Flamengo stop Liverpool’s buccaneering full-backs from getting forward.
And Klopp’s team, who had fit-again Virgil van Dijk back in defence, rarely threatened for the rest of the half.
Yet just 90 seconds after the break, Firmino was wondering how on earth he had failed to score.
He lifted the ball brilliantly over defender Rodrigo Caio’s head but then delivered a bobbling shot which hit the post and then rolled across the line.
Sadio Mane won a penalty right at the end of normal time but the ref overturned the decision with the help of VARCredit: Getty – Contributor
Mo Salah was booked for this challenge in normal timeCredit: Getty – Contributor
Jurgen Klopp was thrilled with his side’s winCredit: AFP or licensors
Alisson had been a spectator for much of the game but showed exactly why he is arguably the best keeper in the world by getting a hand to a shot from Flamengo’s Gabriel ‘Gabigol’ Barbosa.
But Liverpool finished the stronger and only a terrific save by keeper Diego Alves denied Jordan Henderson a belting long-range goal.
Then seconds after it was announced there would be five minutes of stoppage time, the night took a major twist. Mane looked certain to score before being clipped by Rafinha and Al Jassim pointed to the spot.
But after a VAR check, he performed a U-turn and gave Liverpool nothing.
Yet nine minutes into extra-time, Liverpool finally found their mojo.
Another brilliant pass from Henderson set Mane free and he picked out Firmino in space. He sent both defender Caio and keeper Alves to ground with a clever turn and then calmly dispatched his effort into the net.
Before the game, Brazilian keeper Alisson admitted he had dreamed of this moment. And as he celebrated afterwards, he really was on top of the world.
Nevertheless, this is still just the start for Liverpool.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was subbed off injuredCredit: AFP or licensors
HOW THEY RATED
LIVERPOOL: Alisson 7, Alexander-Arnold 7, Gomez 7, Van Dijk 7, Robertson 7, Keita 7 (Milner 100, 6), Henderson 8, Oxlade- Chamberlain 6 (Lallana 75, 6), Mane 6, Firmino 7 (Origi 105, 6), Salah 6 (Shaqiri 120, 5). Subs not used: Wijnaldum, Adrian, Lonergan, Jones, Hoever, Elliott, Van den Berg, Williams.
FLAMENGO: Alves 6, Rafinha 6, Caio 5, Mari 7, Luis 7, Arao 7, Gerson 6 (Lincoln 120, 6), Everton 6 (Diego 82, 6), De Arrascaeta 6 (Vitinho 77, 6), Henrique 6, Barbosa 6. Subs not used: Rodinei, Rene, Reinier, Batista, Piris Da Motta, Thuler, Berrio, Cesar, Rhodolfo.
(Ratings do not count for Dream Team)
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
