KIEV, Ukraine — Gareth Bale’s eye-catching scissor-kick helped Real Madrid to a third successive Champions League title Saturday with a 3-1 victory over a Liverpool side thwarted by a pair of goalkeeping blunders and Mohamed Salah being forced off injured.

Making an impact as a second-half substitute, Bale showcased athleticism and technique by sending Madrid in front with only his fourth touch of the final in the 64th minute.

Confounding doubters, including Coach Zinedine Zidane, Bale sealed Madrid’s record-extending 13th European title with his second goal – a long-range strike that owed much to Loris Karius’ second calamity of the game. The Liverpool goalkeeper allowed Bale’s shot to squirm through his hands into the net in the 83rd.

Six minutes into the second half, Karius’ sloppy rollout was seized on by Karim Benzema to put the Spanish side in front. Liverpool struck back through Sadio Mane but was only fleetingly back in the game.

Having lost Salah – scorer of 44 goals this season – to a suspected shoulder or collarbone injury in the first half, Liverpool lacked the offense to find a way past the aristocrats of European football. After leaving the pitch in tears and heading to the hospital, the Egypt forward will be fearing the worst for his hopes of going to a first World Cup.


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