The 2019 FIFA Club World Cup final was the final match of the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup, an international club association football tournament hosted by Qatar. It was the 16th final of the FIFA Club World Cup, a FIFA-organised tournament between the club champions from each of the six continental confederations, as well as the host nation's league champions.
.jpg) The Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan hosted the final. | |||||||
| Event | 2019 FIFA Club World Cup | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| After extra time | |||||||
| Date | 21 December 2019 | ||||||
| Venue | Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan | ||||||
| Man of the Match | Roberto Firmino (Liverpool)[1] | ||||||
| Referee | Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar)[2] | ||||||
| Attendance | 45,416[1] | ||||||
| Weather | Clear night 20 °C (68 °F) 66% humidity[2][3] | ||||||
The final was contested between English club Liverpool, representing UEFA as the reigning champions of the UEFA Champions League, and Brazilian club Flamengo, representing CONMEBOL as the reigning champions of the Copa Libertadores. The match was played at the Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan on 21 December 2019.[4]
Liverpool won the match 1–0 after extra time for their first FIFA Club World Cup title, having finished as runners-up on in 2005.[5] As winners, Liverpool were rewarded with £4 million in prize money.[6]
Teams
editIn the following table, finals until 2005 were in the FIFA Club World Championship era, since 2006 were in the FIFA Club World Cup era.
| Team | Confederation | Qualification for tournament | Previous club world championship finals |
|---|---|---|---|
 Liverpool
|
UEFA | Winners of the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League | 1 2005 |
 Flamengo
|
CONMEBOL | Winners of the 2019 Copa Libertadores | None |
Venue
editThe final took place at the Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar. The venue previously hosted matches at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, including the final, and was chosen as a venue for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Originally, the final (along with the second semi-final and third place match) was to be played at the Education City Stadium, also located in Al Rayyan.[7] However, the matches were moved after the opening of the Education City Stadium was postponed to early 2020.[8]
Background
editThe final was a rematch of the 1981 Intercontinental Cup, recognised by FIFA as a club world championship. Flamengo won the match 3–0 for their only club world title.[9] Flamengo hadn't reached the final since while Liverpool had participated in two world championship matches in 1984 and 2005, also losing both to Independiente and São Paulo respectively.[10]
Route to the final
edit| Liverpool
|
Team | Flamengo
| ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Result | 2019 FIFA Club World Cup | Opponent | Result |
 Monterrey
|
2–1 | Semi-finals |  Al-Hilal
|
3–1 |
Liverpool
editLiverpool qualified for the Club World Cup as champions of the UEFA Champions League, having defeated Tottenham Hotspur in the final. The club had previously played in the 2005 Club World Championship, finishing as runners-up to São Paulo.[11] Due to their participation in the tournament, Liverpool were forced to field a squad of youth players for an EFL Cup tie against Aston Villa due to the proximity of the two games, with the senior squad heading to Qatar to prepare while the reserves played in the cup game managed by U-23's manager Neil Critchley.[12] As a result, they were beaten 5–0, the club's heaviest ever defeat in the competition [13][14]
Liverpool entered with a bye to the semi-finals, where they faced North American champions Monterrey of Mexico. The Reds went ahead in the 12th minute with a strike by Naby Keïta, who collected a pass from Mohamed Salah at the right side of the box. Monterrey equalised two minutes later as Rogelio Funes Mori, who collected a rebound off Alisson's save of a volley taken by Jesús Gallardo. Liverpool had several chances to retake the lead and switched to a new formation after half-time, but were unable to score and left themselves open to counter-attacks. Substitute Roberto Firmino scored the winning goal for Liverpool in the first minute of stoppage time, tapping in a pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold within the six-yard box.[15][16]
Flamengo
editFlamengo qualified for the Club World Cup as winners of the Copa Libertadores, defeating River Plate with two last-minute goals by Gabriel Barbosa in the final, which was played a month before the Club World Cup.[17]
Flamengo entered with a bye to their semi-final match against AFC Champions League winners Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia. Flamengo started poorly and nearly conceded to Bafétimbi Gomis in the 16th minute after a big rebound from goalkeeper Diego Alves. Two minutes later, Mohammed Al-Breik crossed low to Salem Al-Dawsari in the box who scored the opening goal. Flamengo did little to create good chances in the first half but returned with a different posture and higher defensive line in the second half. Within three minutes, Flamengo's attacking trio leveled the score: Gabriel Barbosa found Bruno Henrique open inside the box, who rolled the ball across to Giorgian De Arrascaeta for the equalizer. Diego came on in substitute for Gerson and initiated the play in the 78th minute that resulted in Rafinha's cross to Bruno Henrique for the go-ahead header. Three minutes later, Diego found Bruno Henrique in the box whose cross was deflected in by Ali Al-Bulaihi for an own-goal. Moments later, André Carrillo of Al-Hilal was sent off after hitting De Arrascaeta. Flamengo advance with the 3–1 victory.[18]
Match
editSummary
editFirmino nearly scored for Liverpool in the first minute of the match, as the ball was lifted to him past the defense but his shot sailed high. Shortly after, Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool find shots of their own. Both teams continued equally matched, with Flamengo having a spell of possession after a rocky start and maintaining nearly sixty percent possession in the half.[19] At the other end, Bruno Henrique had several sights of goal, though none quite as dangerous as Liverpool's.[20]
Two minutes into the second half Firmino nearly scored again, this time hitting the inside of the left post.[21] In the 53rd minute, Flamengo's Barbosa shot high, and later forced a diving save from goalkeeper Alisson with a shot from inside the 18-yard box. In the 73rd minute, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was injured and came off for Adam Lallana. Flamengo brought on Vitinho and Diego in place of Giorgian De Arrascaeta and Éverton Ribeiro. In the 83rd minute Liverpool had their first dangerous shot on goal: a shot from Henderson fed by Mohamed Salah that was tipped over the frame by Diego Alves. Moments into stoppage time, Liverpool was awarded a penalty after Rafinha clipped the trailing foot of Sadio Mané free on goal on the edge of the penalty area. The decision was taken to video review where it appeared that the foul occurred outside the box and would result in a free kick, however the foul was waved off completely and play resumed with Flamengo.[22] Regulation time ended with the match still scoreless.
In the 99th minute Liverpool scored the breakthrough goal. Henderson played a long ball forward to Mané which Rodrigo Caio could not deflect. One-on-one with Rafinha, Mané played to an approaching Firmino on his left who hesitated and scored around Diego Alves. For Liverpool, James Milner came on for Naby Keïta, and for Flamengo Lincoln came on for midfielder Gerson.[23] In the second period of extra time, Flamengo found one dangerous opportunity to equalize in the 119th minute when a Vitinho cross rebounded back to him off a defender and he picked out Lincoln whose shot sailed high from ten yards out.[23] Minutes later the match ended and Liverpool were victors by a score of 1–0.[24]
Details
edit
        Liverpool[25]
|
   Flamengo[25]
|
|
Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:[2]
|
Match rules[26]
|
Statistics
edit| Statistic | Liverpool | Flamengo |
|---|---|---|
| Goals scored | 1 | 0 |
| Total shots | 18 | 14 |
| Shots on target | 6 | 2 |
| Saves | 2 | 5 |
| Ball possession | 48% | 52% |
| Corner kicks | 5 | 7 |
| Fouls committed | 22 | 16 |
| Offsides | 3 | 6 |
| Yellow cards | 4 | 2 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |
Post-match
editWith the win, Liverpool secured their first Club World Cup title, becoming the second English club to win the competition after Manchester United in 2008.[24] Liverpool's Roberto Firmino was given the man of the match award,[1] while teammate Mohamed Salah was awarded the Golden Ball by FIFA's Technical Study Group, which was jointly awarded with the Alibaba Cloud Player of the Tournament award. Flamengo's Bruno Henrique won the tournament's Silver Ball award.[27]
See also
edit- Liverpool F.C. in international football
- 1981 Intercontinental Cup — contested between same teams
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f "Match report – Final – Liverpool FC v CR Flamengo" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 21 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- ^ a b c "Start list – Final – Liverpool FC v CR Flamengo" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 21 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- ^ "Final – Liverpool FC v CR Flamengo". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 21 December 2019. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- ^ "FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 Match Schedule" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 30 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
- ^ "Firmino writes Liverpool into Club World Cup history". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 21 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- ^ Liverpool at Club World Cup: Five reasons why Qatar tournament matters to Reds, BBC Sport, 18 December 2019, retrieved 19 December 2019
- ^ "Education City Stadium to host FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 final". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 30 September 2019. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
- ^ "New FIFA Club World Cup champions to be crowned at Khalifa International Stadium". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 7 December 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- ^ Law, Joshua (15 December 2019). "Flamengo 3–0 Liverpool: the day Zico 'ran rings around the English'". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
- ^ Fifield, Dominic (18 December 2005). "Benítez makes beeline for Blatter after night of frustration". Yokohama: The Guardian. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- ^ "Club World Cup: Liverpool aim to become seventh European winners". UEFA.com. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
- ^ Moore, Joe (26 November 2019). "Liverpool to field 'youthful' team against Aston Villa in Carabao Cup quarter-final with Under-23s coach to replace Jurgen Klopp". TalkSPORT. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
- ^ Percy, John (17 December 2019). "Aston Villa hammer five past youngest-ever Liverpool side to progress to Carabao Cup semi-finals". The Telegraph. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
- ^ Stone, Simon (17 December 2019). "Aston Villa 5–0 Liverpool: Dean Smith's side overwhelm young Liverpool side". BBC Sport.
- ^ Hunter, Andy (18 December 2019). "Firmino's injury-time winner sends Liverpool into Club World Cup final". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
- ^ Sanders, Emma (18 December 2019). "Monterrey 1–2 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
- ^ "Gabigol brace clinches Libertadores for Flamengo". FIFA.com. 23 November 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
- ^ "Flamengo 3 x 1 Al Hilal – Mundial de Clubes 2019 Semifinal – Tempo Real – Globo Esporte". globoesporte.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 18 December 2019.
- ^ "Liverpool 1 x 0 Flamengo – Mundial de Clubes 2019 Final – Tempo Real – Globo Esporte". globoesporte.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ Burnton, Simon (21 December 2019). "Liverpool 1–0 Flamengo: Club World Cup final 2019 – as it happened! (4 of 4)". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ Burnton, Simon (21 December 2019). "Liverpool 1–0 Flamengo: Club World Cup final 2019 – as it happened! (3 of 4)". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ "Liverpool 1 x 0 Flamengo – Mundial de Clubes 2019 Final – Tempo Real – Globo Esporte". globoesporte.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ a b Burnton, Simon (21 December 2019). "Liverpool 1–0 Flamengo: Club World Cup final 2019 – as it happened! (1 of 4)". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ a b Poole, Harry (21 December 2019). "Flamengo 0–1 Liverpool: Roberto Firmino's extra-time strike delivers first Club World Cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- ^ a b "Tactical Line-up – Final – Liverpool FC v CR Flamengo" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 21 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- ^ "FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 Regulations" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
- ^ "Salah headlines Qatar 2019 award winners". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 21 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.