Liverpool win Champions League: Here are the key takeaways
Liverpool won their sixth UEFA Champions League title after beating fellow English side Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid. Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi scored one goal each to down Spurs 2-0 on the night. The match wasn't a lively affair as expected, but credit to Liverpool for finding a way to win the same. Here are the key takeaways.
Liverpool are 2018-19 UCL champions!
Both teams could have played much better
Liverpool were way off the mark and the performance wasn't strong by their standards. They missed the final product after getting in promising positions. They were forced back in the second half. Meanwhile, Spurs were too dependent on Son Hueng-min. The other attacking players never showed up. Also, there were many errors throughout the match. Spurs lacked cohesion and Liverpool somehow just did enough.
A tale of two halves for Spurs
Spurs never had things going for them in the first half and the early goal stunned the side. They failed to trouble Alisson Becker in the first 45 minutes and didn't offer anything notable in front of goal. But in the second half, Spurs changed things and applied the pressure to push Liverpool back. Alisson had to make a flurry of saves.
Things change for Salah and Klopp
Last year, Salah was forced off the field midway through the first half after a shoulder injury against Real Madrid in the Champions League final. This time, the Egyptian took responsibility and scored an important penalty right at the start. Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who lost two Champions League finals earlier, had the last laugh. Klopp deserved this moment thoroughly.
Liverpool hold on to show their character
The Reds did what they managed to do so successfully during the 2018-19 season. They held on and got a victory. Both their goals came at crucial moments of the match. Interestingly, they had just three shots on target. Virgil van Dijk and Alisson were competent when needed. The full-backs also offered significance. Sadio Mane and Origi proved to be essential in important phases.
How did the match pan out?
Salah scored right in the beginning from the penalty spot after Moussa Sissoko was controversially punished for handball. Spurs responded strongly in the second and Alisson was forced into making saves. Origi scored in the 87th minute to seal the deal for Liverpool.
