At the blast of the final whistle which brought the 2018/2019 UEFA Champions League to an end, fans of Liverpool Football Club erupted in volcanic excitement as their team clinched the coveted trophy for the sixth time in their history.
Prior to the final which was held at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid, Liverpool last won the coveted trophy in 2005 where they beat AC Milan on penalties in the finals at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul after a dramatic comeback from 3 goals down at half-time.
In the 2018/2019 season, Liverpool enjoyed an excellent campaign but winning the Champions League was their only hope of any silverware in a season they were exceptionally good; that hope was almost lost, but for an unprecedented Semi-final comeback to defeat Spanish side, Barcelona by 4-0 goals at Anfield after trailing 0 – 3 from at Camp Nou a fortnight before.
With their confidence now at an all-time high, Liverpool faced an equally pumped up Tottenham side that also qualified ahead of Ajax FC after trailing by a lone goal from a home defeat from the first leg, setting up the all English finals.
A penalty within the first minute of the game served as the perfect start for Liverpool after a low cross by Sadio Mane struck the outstretched arm of Moussa Sissoko inside the 18-yard box. The spot kick converted by Mohammed Salah turned the whole atmosphere at the Heineken House into a frenzy as Liverpool fans vigorously celebrated their early lead. The first half ended with Liverpool at an advantage as both teams battled to take full control of the game.
Halftime performance by Nigerian Rapper, MI Abaga came handy for fans of both clubs and enthusiasts who needed to ease some tension before a resumption of the second half. MI gave a rousing performance to the delight of the guests who partied with the musician as they enjoyed chilled glasses of Heineken and endless supplies of food.
The second half soon resumed with both teams determined to win the contest. The fans were not left behind as they engaged in friendly banters while enjoying the game within the red star hospitable space of the Heineken brand.
It was, however, Divock Origi’s 79th-minute goal that sealed the game for The Reds after the Kenyan born player fired past Hugo Loris for the second goal of the game. Even the little rain showers did little to bother the Liverpool fans who believed their team deserves to win the championship after an exhilarating run during the campaign. They stayed to watch as the team lifted the trophy with loud shouts of victory.
The after-party soon took off with MI Abaga back on stage to continue his performance, dishing out his hit records all the way.
Tinuke, a software analyst and Liverpool fan could not contain her excitement as she praised the Merseyside team for clinching victory saying;
“I am very happy tonight because my team won this match. We worked really hard for it and we deserve it. I was very nervous going into the game but after we scored the early goal, I became a little more relaxed.”
Another fan, George Uzi, thanked Heineken for the opportunity to watch the finals at the Heineken House saying;
“Heineken has done great by creating this space for football lovers like myself to enjoy this game. I’ve had lots of food and drinks today and I’m going to party hard now because my team deserves to win”.
Heineken has sponsored the UEFA Champions league for over 20 years running. During the just concluded season, the brand did a tour of the UCL trophy, in April accompanied by FC Barcelona Legend, Carles Puyol. There were also a number of match viewings in some locations across the country during match days and seven lucky fans were taken on an all expense paid trip to watch the second leg of the semi-final – the famous Liverpool Barca game live at Anfield.
Anthony Nlebem
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