Manajer Liverpool [[Rafael Benítez]] memegang kendali tim untuk pertandingan final, meski ayahnya wafat pada awal pekan itu. Benitez percaya diri bahwa tim Liverpool yang dia latih akan mampu mengalahkan São Paulo: "Kami bermain dengan percaya diri dan kekuatan. Saya pikir kami dapat mengalahkan siapa pun." Penyerang Liverpool Crouch yang mencetak dua gol dalam pertandingan semi-final sependapat dengan manajernya mengenai kompetisi ini. Dia juga menambahkan bahwa "Kami tidak mengadakan perjalanan ke Jepang untuk sekadar berjalan-jalan."<ref name="fifa"/>
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<!--Sebelum Beforepertandingan the start of the matchdimulai, asesi minute'smengheningkan silencecipta wasdilakukan held,untuk inmengenang memory ofayah Rafa Benítez's father, Francesco, whoyang diedwafat ofakibat heartgagal failurejantung onpada thehari WednesdayRabu before(14 theDesember final2005). BothKedua teamstim tookmasuk theke pitchdalam wearinglapangan blackdengan armbandsmengenakan asban alengan markberwarna ofhitam sebagai bentuk respectpenghormatan.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/18/sports/18iht-CUP.html?scp=6&sq=brazil%27s%20soul&st=Search |title=São Paulo survives to win world title |work=The New York Times |date=19 DecemberDesember 2005 |accessdate=27 OctoberOktober 2011 |first=Rob |last=Hughes |language=en}}</ref> ThePertandingan matchditunda wassaat delayedseorang furtherpenggemar whenmasuk ake fandalam invaded the pitchlapangan, hepergi headedmenuju forke onesalah ofsatu the goals and gotgawang, stuckdan intersangkut thedi goaldalam beforegawang beingsebelum caughttertangkap.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/photo_galleries/4539478.stm |title=Liverpool v Sao Paulo photos |publisher=BBC Sport |date=18 DecemberDesember 2005 |accessdate=27 OctoberOktober 2011 |language=en}}</ref> São Paulo linedmenggunakan up in aformasi 3–5–2 formation, whilesementara Liverpool optedmemilih for aformasi 4–4–1–1 formation.<ref name="guardian">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2005/dec/19/newsstory.sport1 |title=Benítez makes beeline for Blatter after night of frustration |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=19 DecemberDesember 2005 |accessdate=30 AugustAgustus 2011 |first=Dominic |last=Fifield |language=en}}</ref> Liverpool hadmemperoleh thepeluang firstpertama chancedalam of79 thedetik matchpertama. insideTendangan thesilang openingdari 79 seconds.kapten Liverpool captain [[Steven Gerrard]]'scrosske into the penaltydalam area waspenalti metdisambut byoleh [[Fernando Morientes]], buttetapi thetendangan strikerdari headedpenyerang widetersebut ofmelenceng jauh thedari goalgawang. Liverpool createdmenciptakan morepeluang chancesyang withlain, tetapi [[Luis Javier García Sanz|Luis García]] missinggagal themencetak goaldua twicegol frommelalui headerssundulan kepala.<ref name="cnn">{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2005/SPORT/football/12/18/soccer.japan/ |title=Sao Paulo lifts World Clubs trophy |publisher=CNN |date=20 DecemberDesember 2005 |accessdate=30 AugustAgustus 2011 |language=en}}</ref> São Paulo hadhanya onlymenciptakan createdsatu one chancepeluang, ayakni shottendangan fromdari strikerpenyerang [[Márcio Amoroso|Amoroso]], buttetapi theySão beganPaulo tokemudian growsemakin inpercaya confidencediri. TheyMereka pressedmelakukan forwardpenekanan afterke area pertahan lawan setelah tendangan Amoroso's, shotdan andpemain defenderbertahan [[Cicinho]] nearlyhampir scoredmencetak withgol adengan ''lob'' from the halfwaydari linegaris whichtengah justyang wentjustru overmelewati themistar crossbargawang.<ref name="report">{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/tournament=107/edition=4735/news/newsid=102060.html#sao+paulo+strike+gold+south+america |title=Sao Paulo strike gold for South America |publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) |date=18 DecemberDesember 2005 |accessdate=30 AugustAgustus 2011 |language=en}}</ref> -->
<!-- São Paulo's pressure resulted in them taking the lead in the 27th minute. A chipped pass from [[Aloísio José da Silva|Aloísio]] to [[Mineiro (footballer)|Mineiro]] found the midfielder in space who put the ball beyond Liverpool goalkeeper [[Pepe Reina]] to give the Brazilians a 1–0 lead.<ref name="bbc">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4533980.stm |title=Sao Paulo 1-0 Liverpool |publisher=BBC Sport |date=18 December 2005 |accessdate=30 August 2011 }}</ref> It was the first goal Liverpool had conceded in over 1,041 minutes of play.<ref name="guardian" /> Immediately afterwards, Liverpool had a corner, which almost resulted in a goal. [[Xabi Alonso]] took the corner which found García, but his shot hit the woodwork.<ref name="bbc" /> Liverpool had another chance 30 minutes into the match, but again he failed to score with a header.<ref name="bbc" /> Gerrard had a chance to equalise five minutes later, but he put his shot wide after [[Harry Kewell]] had passed him the ball.<ref name="cnn" /> Liverpool continued to create chances and in the 39th minute García saw his header into the far corner saved by São Paulo goalkeeper [[Rogério Ceni]].<ref name="report" /> From the resulting corner Liverpool defender [[Sami Hyypiä]] shot straight at Ceni. He had another chance late in the first half, but his header was saved by Ceni.<ref name="report" /> -->
