Champions League Final: Bale wonder and Karius blunders help Real Madrid beat Liverpool
Kiev: Gareth Bale came off the bench to score one of European football’s great goals as Real Madrid dispossessed Liverpool 3-1 to win their third successive Champions League title under Zinedine Zidane in Kiev on Saturday.
Bale’s wonder goal and two blunders from Liverpool keeper Loris Karius determined the match which was entertaining and exciting as expected.
Liverpool suffered a devastating blow inside forty minutes when their spearhead Mohamed Salah was forced to leave the pitch with a shoulder injury sustained in a challenge with Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.
'It was really difficult after Mo's injury'
Post-match in Kiev with Georginio Wijnaldum: https://t.co/zcHlT96BVG#WeAreLiverpool pic.twitter.com/MGqRNa6Qv2
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 27, 2018
After the Egyptian’s untimely withdrawal the English club lost their rhythm and vivaciousness while the defending champions Real pressed high in search of a deadlock breaker and it came in a completely mysterious way.
The German goal keeper of Liverpool enigmatically threw the ball against Karim Benzema, who was there to get a hold and watched in horror as the ball rolled behind him into the net.
However the Reds recovered from the shock as Sadio Mane who stepped up to lead the attack in the absence of Salah found the equalizer within five minutes.
But Jurgen Klopp’s side could not do anything to prevent the spectacular, once in a lifetime goal scored by the substitute Bale inside four minutes after reaching the ground.
⚽? *THAT GOAL*
? @GarethBale11
? #CHAMP13NS pic.twitter.com/xKNfEYSTYY— #CHAMP13NS ???? (@realmadriden) May 26, 2018
The Wales super star showed terrific acrobatic skill and sent a superb overhead kick to put the Los Blancos back on top.
Karius’s nightmare was complete when he fumbled Bale’s moderate 30-yard shot behind him to seal Real’s record 13th win in the Europe’s elite tournament and their fourth in five seasons.
Triumph in third successive year gave Real boss Zinedine Zidane last laugh in a disappointing season in which they finished La Liga on third place.
With this defeat Klopp’s wait for a major silverware continued as he lost his third successive final since arriving at Anfield, having suffered defeats in the League Cup and Europa League finals of 2016.
More to follow