Real Madrid 3, Liverpool 1: Recapping all the action from the Champions League final

Nick Birdsong

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Real Madrid 3, Liverpool 1: Recapping all the action from the Champions League final image

Real Madrid and Liverpool squared off for the biggest prize in European club soccer Saturday.

The powerhouses met in the UEFA Champions League final at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine. Real's 3-1 victory gave it an unprecedented third straight Champions League title. 

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Liverpool, which finished fourth in the Premier League in 2017-18, lost top goal scorer Mohamed Salah in the first half to an apparent shoulder injury that could also put his World Cup with Egypt in jeopardy. The Reds carried on with their other two scoring threats, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane', but they could not match Real's strike force of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale.

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Postmatch notes from Opta:

— Gareth Bale is the first substitute to score a brace in a European Cup/Champions League final. He 

— Bale scored just two minutes and two seconds after coming off the bench. It was the second-fastest ever by a substitute in a Champions League final, after Lars Ricken for Borussia Dortmund against Juventus in 1997.

— Cristiano Ronaldo played in his sixth Champions League final. Only three players have more appearances in the European Cup/Champions League finals: Paolo Maldini and Paco Gento (eight), and Alfredo Di Stéfano (seven).

— Keylor Navas is the first goalkeeper in the Champions League history to play and win three consecutive finals (penalty shootout included).

— Zinédine Zidane is the first manager in the European Cup/Champions League history to win the title three consecutive seasons.

— Liverpool became the first team in history to see three players score 10-plus goals in a single Champions League season (Salah 10, Firmino 10, Mané 10).

— Trent Alexander-Arnold became only the third English teenager to start a European Cup/Champions League final, after Brian Kidd in 1968 and Gary Mills in 1980.

Sporting News provided live updates and highlights throughout the contest.

UEFA Champions League final: Score, highlights

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Real Madrid 3, Liverpool 1

Real Madrid wins behind two goals from Gareth Bale, who came on in the 61st minute. Real Madrid becomes the first team to win the Champions League three years in a row. 

Second half 

82' — Loris Karius can't hold onto a long strike from Gareth Bale and Real Madrid takes a commanding 3-1 lead. 

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64' — Just. Like. That. Gareth Bale enters the game and three minutes later he delivers a nearly flawless bicycle kick into the back of the net to put Real Madrid ahead 2-1.

61' — Real Madrid brings on Gareth Bale to replace Isco. Bale has 19 goals on the season. 

55' — Liverpool striker Sadio Mane' ties the game 1-1 when he flicks in a Dejan Lovren header. It's Mane's 10th Champions League goal of the season.

51' — Real Madrid scores the first goal in most bizarre fashion. Karim Benzema sticks his leg out as Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius attempts to roll the ball, and the ball lands in the net. Real Madrid leads 1-0.

Halftime 

The teams go into the break tied 0-0. Real Madrid is winning the possession battle, holding the ball 66 percent of the time while, but has only put one shot on target (out of nine). Liverpool has taken seven shots, with one on target. Liverpool has committed 10 fouls to Real Madrid's two. Both teams have had two corner kicks and one save. 

First half 

45' — Nacho misses a clear chance wide off a perfect pass from Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema. 

43' — Liverpool catches a break when a Karim Benzema goal off a saved header is waved off after being whistled for offsides. 

39' — Real Madrid earns its first corner of the game. 

35' — Real Madrid's Daniel Carvajal is walking off the pitch, holding his nose after suffering an injury that will end his day. He's replaced by Nacho. 

29' — Liverpool star Mohamed Salah's season is over as he walk off the field in tears. He's unable to go on with what appears to be a shoulder injury suffered earlier in the game. He is replaced by Adam Lallana. Lallana is making his15th appearance this season after missing a month and a half with a hamstring injury and returning for the Reds' Premier League finale. 

24' — Liverpool star Mohamed Salah goes down and clutches his left shoulder after getting tangled up with Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos. He comes off the field briefly before returning to action. 

23' — Liverpool's Roberto Firmino receives a pass from James Milner inside Real Madrid's box, turns and fires a shot that is blocked. Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold gathers the carom and fires a shot from the right side that is saved by Real Madrid keeper Keylor Navsas. 

18' — Liverpool earns the first corner kick of the game, but Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk loses a ball in the air to Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas, resulting in a goal kick. 

2' — Real Madrid's Daniel Carvajal plays a nice through ball but Isco is caught offside for what would've been the game's first real chance. 

Liverpool starting XI 

Real Madrid starting XI

Nick Birdsong