Liverpool win 1st Club World Cup title after Firmino's extra-time goal

Liverpool are returning home from Qatar with a trophy in tow.

The Reds needed extra time to topple Brazilian side Flamengo in Saturday’s Club World Cup final, with a 99th-minute goal from Roberto Firmino holding up as the lone tally at the Khalifa International Stadium.

The 28-year-old was the hero for the second time this week, as his late strike was also the difference in the team’s semifinal win over Monterrey.

Liverpool, who lost in the 2005 Club World Cup final, are now just the second Premier League side to capture the title after Manchester United accomplished the feat in 2008.

Jurgen Klopp’s team, comfortably the more threatening side over the 120 minutes on Saturday, looked primed to win the match in normal time after being awarded a penalty in the 91st minute for a foul on Sadio Mane.

However, upon review, VAR overturned the call. The referee decided the incident didn’t take place inside the area, and that veteran defender Rafinha didn’t commit a foul regardless.

That didn’t matter, though, as in extra time Liverpool continued to look more likely to break the deadlock.

That’s exactly what happened when a lovely ball from Jordan Henderson found Mane in space, who quickly spun and played Firmino in on goal. The Brazilian calmly cut back, leaving both a defender and the goalkeeper in his wake before slamming the ball into the net.

Liverpool’s triumph means the European champions have now won the last seven editions of the Club World Cup. A non-European side hasn’t hoisted the trophy since 2012, when Brazilian outfit Corinthians beat Chelsea.