Mohamed Salah, driven to tears when an injury kept him out of the final a year ago, scored on a penalty kick 108 seconds into the game Saturday and propelled Liverpool to the Champions League title in Madrid.
Salah scored from the penalty spot after a video review showed Tottenham midfielder Moussa Sissoko blocking a shot with an arm, and Liverpool made victory more certain with a goal by Divock Origi in the 87th minute, winning 2-0. It is Liverpool's sixth European title and the first for coach Juergen Klopp after four years in charge. His teams have lost in the final six times, going back to his work with Borussia Dortmund.
Salah had famously wept when it became clear he would miss the final last year because of a shoulder injury.
"I have sacrificed a lot for my career," Salah said. "To come from a village, to go to Cairo, and to be an Egyptian at this level is unbelievable for me."
Alisson Becker's goalkeeping made the difference when Tottenham pushed harder in the final 20 minutes. He scooped up a spinning shot from Dele Alli and made a double save against Son Heung-min and Lucas Moura with 10 minutes to go. American owner John Henry had invested $85 million in Becker in the offseason after Loris Karius was dumped for making costly mistakes in last year's final.
"You have a goalkeeper who makes difficult things look easy," Klopp said. "Thank you very much."
U.S. Soccer
Guzan out, Altidore back for Gold Cup
Goalkeeper Brad Guzan was left off the U.S. training camp roster ahead of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, and forward Jozy Altidore is back with the national team for the first time since the October 2017 loss at Trinidad and Tobago that cost the Americans a World Cup berth.
Coach Gregg Berhalter also did not include goalkeeper Bill Hamid on his 40-man roster, so the starting goalkeeper for the Gold Cup will come from among Zack Steffen, Sean Johnson and Tyler Miller.
