After two years in the UAE, the club world championship moved to Qatar. Starting from the semi-finals, the participants of the tournament had a unique opportunity to try out the Khalifa stadium, which in 2022 will host the games of the World Championship among national teams.
Liverpool have already competed in the club World Cup finals in 2005. 14 years ago, Merciseides surrendered to the Brazilian São Paulo. The Saturday match was regarded by many as a confrontation between the really two best clubs on the planet: Flamengo won the Brazilian championship and the Libertadores Cup in the past year. “Liverpool” after the triumph in the Champions League is close to the title in the Premier League - one of the best championships in Europe according to the UEFA odds table.
For the sake of a successful performance in Doha, the Reds mentor Jurgen Klopp had to sacrifice the English League Cup - the specialist sent the youth squad to the quarterfinal match. The very next day after the defeat in Birmingham, the Merseysiders expected a tough match with the Mexican Monterey. Liverpool passed the semifinal barrier of the club world championship with great difficulty. The Brazilian Firmino scored the decisive ball only in the compensated time. Flamengo had a less difficult match with Saudi Al-Hilal at this stage.
The decisive meeting of the tournament began without a buildup. Already in the first minute Firmino responded to a throw in the box and faced goalkeeper Diego Alves. However, the striker forgave his compatriot, breaking past the gate. However, the “Liverpool” failed to overwhelm the “Flamengo” starting onslaught. The team from Rio de Janeiro consistently responded to almost every threat of rivals. Time after time, Bruno Enrique opened the Liverpool defense. Moreover, closer to the break, nominal guests pressed the “red” to the goal. Even Firmino had to step back and help the defenders. The goal seemed to be brewing. But Klopp's wards fought back, albeit with great difficulty. A minute before the break, Merseyside goalkeeper Alisson had to go outside the box to eliminate the threat from Gabriel.
The second half started from a dangerous moment at the gates of Alves. At the 47th minute, Firmino was again in the spotlight. After a good pass, the Brazilian famously threw the ball over the defender and hit by Alves. To the goalkeeper's help came the bar. A few more minutes passed, and Mohammed Salah after passing from the right flank into touch struck into the near corner. But the Egyptian striker was a bit lacking in accuracy.
Double-edged football reigned on the field. The ball practically did not linger in the center of the field. The Brazilians did not really succeed in a matching game. Therefore, they actively pressed.
The outcome of the match could come in the first minute added. Sadio Mane rushed to the goal of Alves and fell on the penalty line. Many had the impression that Rafinha, who was trying to interrupt an opponent’s pass, didn’t hit the ball and stopped Mane with an illegal trick. The culprit of the episode fell to his knees in front of the chief arbiter Abdulrahman Al-Jassim, trying to prove his own innocence in the fall of the liverpool. The Qatari judge had to make, perhaps the most difficult decision in his career. Al-Jassim went to watch the video. And very soon he spread his hands: there was no violation of the rules in the clash of Manet and Rafinha. An experienced defender triumphantly waved his fists. The teams played the rest of the time and went to rest.
The long-awaited goal took place in the 99th minute. “Flamengo” carried away by the offensive and failed in defense. Now Manet still got his way. The Senegalese took a pass near the right edge, deftly turned and pushed the ball into the center of the penalty box to the lonely Firmino in the fall. On a false backswing, he defeated the defender and hit the gate. The joy of the Liverpool players knew no bounds. They rushed to finish off a swimming opponent and nearly doubled the lead. Salah twisted the ball into the far corner, but Alves incredibly repelled the blow. The goalkeeper of Flamengo was simply incomparable that evening. Earlier, he pulled a shot under the bar from Jordan Henderson.
In the remaining time, the Reds dried the game and brought the match to their victory. True, in the 119th minute, Lincoln who replaced Flamengo could give his club a penalty shootout. However, the decisive blow from the penalty area for the 19-year-old player was extremely unsuccessful. As a result, Klopp added another trophy to the collection. And on December 26, his team will have a difficult trip to Leicester to visit the club of the same name, which ranks second in the Premier League.