Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Friday 25 May 2018

A look at Liverpool's players in the Champions League final

By STEVE DOUGLAS up a competition-high nine
Associated Press goals. Far from the most
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — glamorous player in the
A look at Liverpool's players team but one of the most
ahead of Saturday's Cham- important.
pions League final against MOHAMED SALAH
Real Madrid: Salah is having the season
LORIS KARIUS of his career, with 44 goals
Karius supplanted Simon Mi- in 51 games, and could
gnolet as first-choice goal- yet win the Ballon d'Or if
keeper at the turn of the he guides Liverpool to the
year and has kept the spot Champions League title.
ever since. The 24-year-old The Egypt forward has an
German's handling can uncanny calmness in front
be suspect, though he has of goal, with his chipped
barely made a mistake in finishes or curling shots into
the last five months and the far corner becoming his
manager Juergen Klopp trademark. He is positioned
appreciates Karius' ability on the right of the front
with his feet. three, but is often found
TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD In this Saturday, March 31, 2018 file photo, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah runs past Crystal Palace's centrally and the furthest
Alexander-Arnold has bro- James Tomkins during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and forward.
ken through this season, Liverpool at Selhurst Park stadium in London. ROBERTO FIRMINO
initially alternating with Joe Associated Press Firmino sets the tone for the
Gomez before making the pressing game that Klopp
position his own and even Moreno and hasn't looked ing alongside Van Dijk. He the impressive form of Emre demands and is often seen
forcing his way into Eng- back, quickly becoming a might not have been play- Can. Henderson works hard harassing opposition de-
land squad for the World fan favorite with his work ing in the final if it wasn't and keeps it simple with his fenders and midfielders,
Cup. The 19-year-old right rate and attacking runs. for an injury to Joel Matip, passing. winning the ball back. But
back's surging runs down VIRGIL VAN DIJK a Klopp signing from the GEORGINIO WIJNALDUM the Brazilian has added
the wing are a feature of Van Dijk is soccer's most Bundesliga. Real Madrid Wijnaldum is another who goals — a career-high 27 in
Liverpool's attacking play expensive defender after might choose to target is in the team because of all competitions this season
and Alexander-Arnold of- moving from Southampton Lovren, who excels in a recent injuries to others, — to his game, making him
ten takes direct free kicks to Liverpool for $99 million in deeper-lying defense and chiefly Alex Oxlade-Cham- a brilliant all-round striker.
ahead of the senior mem- January. He is a command- can look ponderous in a berlain and Emre Can. Yet Firmino often drops deep to
bers of the team. ing presence at center high line. he is selfless and an unsung help out his midfield when
ANDREW ROBERTSON back, and has brought au- JORDAN HENDERSON hero, rarely letting Liverpool Liverpool is under pressure.
Released by Celtic when thority and assuredness to Henderson is looking to down and often popping SADIO MANE
he was 15, Robertson a defense that was widely become the fifth Liverpool up with important goals — Mane has often gone un-
played for free for Scottish seen as frail and error- captain to lift European almost always at Anfield. der the radar this season
team Queen's Park in 2013- prone. The Dutchman is a soccer's biggest prize. He JAMES MILNER because of the prolific
14. He was then relegated threat at corners, too. has grown as a leader in Known for his work rate, scoring of Salah and the
from the Premier League DEJAN LOVREN his position at the base of tirelessness and versatil- all-around improvement of
with Hull last year. He only Lovren is an oft-criticized the midfield this season, ity, Milner has become an Firmino, but he has come
broke into the Liverpool center back who acknowl- although he hasn't always unlikely assist-maker in Liv- into form in the final months
team in December fol- edges that he has grown been assured of his place erpool's run to the Cham- of the season.
lowing an injury to Alberto in confidence since play- in the team because of pions League final, setting q

Lyon beats Wolfsburg 4-1 to win Women's Champions League

Associated Press Alexandra Popp was sent resources we needed to
KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Lyon off when she picked up her win," Henry said. "I've never
scored three goals in five second booking for a clum- had the chance to play a
minutes to beat Wolfsburg sy challenge. match with so many twists
4-1 in extra time and win Lyon pulled level with Am- and surprises." It's Lyon's fifth
the Women's Champions andine Henry's half-volley Champions League title.
League for the third year in the 98th and took the Wolfsburg coach Stephan
running on Thursday. lead almost immediately Lerch said injuries and play-
After an often-quiet 90 when Shanice van de San- ing 120 minutes to win the
minutes, the final roared den's cross found Eugenie German Cup final on Satur-
into life in extra time when Le Sommer in front of goal. day hurt his team but "we
Wolfsburg's Pernille Harder Ada Hegerberg made it put up a great fight here."
scored in the 93rd minute 3-1 soon after, and Camille Since 2010, the final has
with a low shot from dis- Abily added a fourth in been played in or near
tance as Lyon goalkeeper the 116th. Both goals also the city hosting the men's
Players from Lyon pose with the trophy after winning the UEFA Sarah Bouhaddi — hurt in came off crosses from sub- Champions League final.
Women's Champions League Final soccer match between an earlier collision — was stitute Van de Sanden. That ends next season, with
Lyon and Wolfsburg at the Valeriy Lobanovskiy stadium in Kiev, slow to react. After Wolfsburg scored, the final in the Hungarian
Ukraine, Thursday, May 24, 2018. However, Wolfsburg col- "we showed a lot of soli- capital Budapest while the
Associated Press
lapsed when midfielder darity and we found all the men play in Madrid.q