MADRID — No tears of pain this time, just redemption for Mohamed Salah. Only 108 seconds were needed to banish the Champions League final heartbreak of a year ago.
Once Salah dispatched his early penalty against Tottenham, Liverpool was on the path to a sixth European title with a 2-0 victory on Saturday.
And a year after defeat in the final to Real Madrid, Juergen Klopp has his first title after four years as Liverpool manager.
A shoulder injury forced Salah out of the Kiev showpiece last year.
This time it was Tottenham midfielder Moussa Sissoko’s arm that gifted Liverpool the early penalty opening — blocking Sadio Mane’s shot after 21 seconds — and Salah converted from the spot after a video review check.
“I have sacrificed a lot for my career,” Salah said. “To come from a village, to go to Cairo, and to be an Egyptian at this level is unbelievable for me.”
On a hot and humid night in Madrid, Tottenham came to life only in the final 20 minutes of its first European Cup final.
But Liverpool completed the job in the 87th minute thanks to one of its semifinal saviors.
Divock Origi had to accept a place back on the bench despite producing two goals while deputizing for the injured Salah last month. But the substitute had the final big say in the Spanish capital, rifling a left-footed shot inside the far post.
After two losing finals since triumphing in 2005, Liverpool finally rose to third in the all-time list of European champions behind 13-time winner Real Madrid and AC Milan on seven titles.
LONG POND, Pa. — William Byron turned a lap of 173.494 mph on Saturday to win the pole at Pocono Raceway.
Byron won his second straight pole in the No. 24 Chevrolet, following up his first-place start last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Byron opened the season with a pole in the Daytona 500 but has yet to win a Cup race in 49 career starts.
Kyle Busch joins Byron in the front row in the No. 18 Toyota. Clint Bowyer starts third, followed by Erik Jones and Brad Keselowski.
DUBLIN, Ohio — Martin Kaymer didn’t look the part of someone who hasn’t won in five years. He was bogey-free pm Saturday in the Memorial for a 6-under 66 that gave him a two-shot lead over Adam Scott going into the final round.
Scott also had a 66, finishing with a shot into 3 feet on the 18th hole at Muirfield Village.
They will be in the final group, two major champions who each reached No. 1 in the world are in the midst of a drought. Scott has gone more than three years since his last victory.
It might not be a two-man race. Hideki Matsuyama shot 64 and was in the group four shots behind that included Jordan Spieth (69) and Patrick Cantlay. All three of them last won in 2017.