Firmino sends Liverpool into Club WCup final

DOHA (Reuters) – Substitute Roberto Firmino grabbed a stoppage-time winner as Liverpool beat Mexico’s Monterrey 2-1 on Wednesday to reach the final of the Club World Cup, where it will play Brazil’s Flamengo.

Juergen Klopp’s side took a 12th-minute lead when Mohamed Salah split the Monterrey defense with a clever reverse pass which Naby Keita raced on to and confidently slotted home.

The lead, however, lasted only two minutes as Liverpool’s defense failed to deal effectively with a high ball into the box. A shot from Jesus Gallardo was blocked, but the ball fell to Rogelio Funes Mori, who fired home to make it 1-1.

Liverpool’s Alisson Becker was the busier of the two goalkeepers after the break, but with the game heading for extratime, Firmino, who only came on in the 85th minute, settled the encounter, turning in a low ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold at the near post, after good work from Salah.

The final takes place on Saturday.

Late Tuesday night, meanwhile, Aston Villa beat Liverpool’s

youngest-ever side 5-0 with a double by Jonathan Kodjia helping it into the League Cup semifinals on a strange night at Villa Park.

With the runaway Premier League leader playing in the FIFA tournament 24 hours later in Doha, the Reds fielded a starting lineup consisting mainly of reserves and youth team players with an average age of 19.4, a club record.

While the youngsters acquitted themselves well against a more experienced Villa side, which made 10 changes from the weekend Premiership defeat by Sheffield United, they were taught a harsh lesson in Liverpool’s heaviest League Cup defeat.

Villa reached the semifinals for the first time since the 2012/13 season, but the victory felt hollow. Liverpool has won the League Cup a record eight times, but sacrificed the chance of making it nine as it focused on the game in Doha.

Questions will be asked about their decision to involve no senior players and the scheduling, but despite the scoreline Liverpool had more shots and more possession than Villa.

The other three quarterfinals took place late Wednesday night with holder Manchester City at third-tier Oxford United, Manchester United hosting fourth-tier Colchester United and Everton at home to Leicester City.