DOHA: After all the hassle involved in coming to Qatar, Liverpool are one game away from leaving as world champions.

Roberto Firmino’s stoppage-time minute winner sealed a 2-1 victory over Monterrey in the Club World Cup semifinals on Wednesday less than 24 hours after Liverpool played another game back in England.

Juergen Klopp had to watch from Qatar as team made up largely of youth players was routed 5-0 by Aston Villa in the League Cup on Tuesday.

But prioritising the FIFA game a day later paid off, even though Klopp expressed unhappiness before the trip about the field conditions in rainy Doha, and was edgy about being questioned on Qatar’s human rights record after he arrived.

The Club World Cup final will be a rematch 38 years in the making as Liverpool face Flamengo. They met in a 1981 version of this tournament when the Brazilians won the one-off meeting of the European and South American champions.

So much has changed since then with European football more powerful than ever before. But Liverpool found it more difficult than expected against Monterrey.

Liverpool, without centre back Virgil van Dijk, who was missing through illness and with Firmino and Sadio Mane starting on the bench, never truly imposed themselves on the game but their trademark perseverance paid off and earned them a place in Saturday’s final.

“They fought really hard, we had problems before the game and during the game as well but I think the boys did exceptionally well,” said Klopp of the way in which his side won, after goalkeeper Alisson made a string of key saves to stop Monterrey from going in front.

Naby Keta put Liverpool ahead in the 11th minute but that goal was cancelled out inside three minutes by Rogelio Funes Mori for the CONCACAF Champions League winners. The game looked headed for extra time when Firmino hit the target within six minutes of coming off the bench. The Brazil forward’s goal was initially created by Mohamed Salah’s surge down the right flank before Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross was flicked in at the near post by Firmino.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2019