San Francisco 49ers - 20 Kansas City Chiefs - 31
FULLTIME - And there we have it, the Chiefs are the Super Bowl champions for the first time in 61 years. Brilliant comeback engineered by third-year quarterback Pat Mahomes. Click here for a wrap and highlights.
00:57 - Interception! Garoppolo searching for the deep ball and Fuller soars to reel it in and seal the contest.
1:12 - TOUCHDOWN CHIEFS - Hand off to Williams and he bolts for 38 yards and the nail in the Niners' coffin.
1:25 - Garoppolo sacked! What a play by Clark. Chiefs have first down at the Niners' 40 yard line. Enormous moment.
1:40 - Third and 10, Jimmy goes deep, but too deep. 4th and 10 and they'll go for it.
1:49 - Garoppolo shows great poise, waits for the play to develop and finds Bourne for 16 yards. Into Chiefs territory they go.
1:56 - Kittle grabs eight yards to move to the 35, and we're off to the two-minute warning.
2:40 - 49ers from their own 15. Mostert gets the drive off to a great start with 17 yds, first down at their 32.
3:30 - TOUCHDOWN CHIEFS - Williams on the screen pass, just manages to extend the ball over the pylon to put the Chiefs in the lead. What a finish we have coming up here.
3:37 - Mahomes finds Watkins out wide with a monster play, 38yds to go inside the redzone.
5:10 - Chiefs will start at their 35. Chiefs shrugs off a tackle and finds Kelce to cross halfway with a 1st down.
5:50 - Chiefs defense stepping up, huge 3rd & 5 for SF. Garoppolo rushed and unable to find his reciever. They'll be forced to punt from their own 25.
6:23 - TOUCHDOWN CHIEFS - Pass interference in the endzone gives them a first down on the 1 yard line, Mahomes finds Kelce deep for the timely score. Game on.
6:43 - Mahomes steps up with a massive play, 44 yds to Hill on the 3rd & 15. They're at the SF 20.
6:57 - Mahomes to Hill for 16 yds to the SF 45. Out comes the red flag, SF will challenge the catch. It's overturned, incomplete.
8:03 - Mahones runs for first down, links with Hill for nine more.
9:10 - KC defense forces the punt. They'll start from their 18 yd line. They need something on this drive.
11:10 - Garoppolo to Kittle for 12 yds, sliding take from the big tight end. First down at the SF 40.
11:50 - Throw to Hill is tipped and intercepted by the Niners! Tarvarius Moore comes away with it, huge play for SF and a killer for KC.
12:05 - Mahomes tucks and runs, somehow steals 13 yds.
13:20 - Buckner sacks Mahomes! Third of the game for KC.
13:51 - Williams jinks for another first downat the 28, beautiful run down the sideline.
14:53 - Alexander bats down the Mahomes pass. Hill scampers for 13yds and a first down at the SF 40.
Here we go, crunchtime approaching.
Third quarter
00:20 - Kelce for 2 yds and first down at halfway.
1:36 - Mahomes puts the foot down to evade a diving Bosa and scramble for a first down.
2:28 - 49ers bring plenty of pressure, Mahomes forced to throw it away at his own 25.
2:35 - TOUCHDOWN 49ERS - Mostert powers his way in from a yard out to give the 49ers a 10-point lead.
3:48 - Garoppolo throws a bullet to Sanders for 26 yds and into the red zone. Juszczyk pulled down a yard short of the endzone.
5:14 - Samuel again, 16yd gain. The rookie is feasting today.
5:23 - Intercepted! Mahomes throws into plenty of coverage and it's easily reeled in by Fred Warner. SF to start at their own 45.
7:25 - Mahomes rolls out, airs one for Watkins to claim first down at the KC 45.
9:10 - Mahomes with plenty of time, great patience to find Watkins for 19 yds.
9:40 - SF defence gets the stop. Field goal unit in to slot the 42 yd attempt and give them the lead.
12:22 - Garoppolo in a rhythm, find Jusczyk for 14 yds. Eight straight completions and SF are at the KC 22.
13:37 - Sanders in action early, two rushes to take play to their 45yd line.
14:55 - Back to the football! Niners receive, well covered by the KC special teams and they'll start their drive from their 16 yd line.
HALFTIME - And you know what that means, time for some Lopez and Shakira.
NZ's Parris Goebel delivers on the Lopez choreography, easily the highlight.
Second quarter
00:06 - Bomb for Kittle! 41 yd reception, but it's wiped out by a dubious offensive pass interference call. Huge moment to end a tight first half. You get the sense this one is going to the wire.
00:14 - Handy throw over the top for Wilson and a 20 yd gain, looking to get into field goal range.
00:19 - 49ers run the clock, timeout at 3rd & 5 on their own 30.
1:08 - Touchback - Niners to start from their 25, as halftime creeps closer.
1:36 - 49ers rush Mahomes, gets the pass away but for minimal gain. KC forced to punt.
1:53 - Back after the two minute warning. Pitch to Hardman for no gain.
2:41 - Nine yds on the throw to Hill, Williams completes the first down as they edge inside 49er territory.
3:57 - Williams cuts back on the pitch for the first down on their own 45 yd line.
4:49 - Williams skips inside a tackle to pick up first down. Bell takes a pass for nine yds.
5:05 - TOUCHDOWN 49ERS - Garoppolo rolls out and finds Kyle Juszcyk who barrels his way into the endzone to tie the game.
6:13 -49er run game is rolling now, Coleman for 17 yards. Pass to Samuel takes them inside the KC redzone.
7:10 - Mostert finds a seam and scythes through for another first down. At the KC 40 now.
8:29 - Toss sweep to Mostert for a 9 yd gain and first down. Samuel follows that with a jinking run for 16 more.
9:25 - Nice work from the KC special teams to restrict the Niners to a start their drive from their own 20 yd line.
9:35 - 3rd &7 is broken up, field goal unti is out there for KC. Butker good from 31yds to extend the Chiefs' lead.
11:32 - They go for it on 4th and 1 again! Williams on the pitch who picks up a comfortable three yards for first down at the Niners' 15.
13:55 - Mahomes links with Sammy Watkins on a huge 28 yd play.
14:15 - Garroppolo intercepted by Breeland! That was nowhere near its target, easy picking for the KC secondary. KC will start from their own 40.
First quarter
00:20 - Garoppolo on play action, up the middle to Sanders for an 18yd gain.
0:31 - TOUCHDOWN CHIEFS - Mahomes on the option, runs it in easily for the first TD of the game. 75 yd drive, encouraging stuff for the Chiefs.
2:05 - They say Mahomes fumbled, 4th and 1. No field goal, Reid wants to go for it. Great play design sees Williams up the middle, knee down just a yard short.
2:05 - Mahomes scrambles on 3rd and 11 to pick up the first down. Two yards out from the goal line now.
3:24 - Kelce turns the corner to pick up 11 yds and they're inside the Niners' 15.
5:25 - Williams gets a first down, RPO sees Kelce to a yard shy. Williams up the middle, great 14 yard gain, Sherman pulls him down at the Niner's 25.
7:22 - Tyreek Hill and Damien Williams combine to pick up KC's first first down.
8:02 - Chiefs secondary holds out to force a 43yd field goal attempt. Right down the middle and the Niners are on the board. Solid opening drive.
10:09 - Crafty play from the Niners, Garoppolo pitches to Samuel who earns another first down. Niners at the Chiefs' 30 yd line.
12:24 - Monster 32 yd gain for Deebo Samuel to cross into 49er territory.
13:06 - First first down of the game as Kittle makes an 11 yard gain.
14:05- Three and out for the Chiefs to open the game. 49ers defence off to a great start. 49ers receive the punt after a brief fumble, will start from their 20 yd line.
14:55 - Mecole Hardman returns the kick-off to the 25 yard line for the Chiefs.
12:34pm - 49ers win the coin toss and choose to defer. The Chiefs will start with the ball.
12:32pm - Time to honour a few war veterans. Obviously.
12:26pm - Demi Lovato up to the plate to belt out 'The Star Spangled Banner'. The girl has pipes.
12:23pm - 'America, the free' up first. Of course.
12:16pm - Both teams have spilled out on to the field at Hard Rock Stadium, anthem should be up momentarily.
Kia ora, good morning and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the NFL Super Bowl between Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers from Miami.
Kansas City reached the season finale with a 35-24 win over Tennessee Titans two weeks ago, winning the AFC Conference championship in the process.
The 13-3 49ers progressed to this stag with a 37-20 victory over Green Bay Packers for the NFC title.
The Grand Final sees a match-up of very different teams, with the 12-4 Chiefs led by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his impressive line-up of attacking weapons.
By contrast, 'Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has taken more of a back seat to their stifling defence, led by rookie Nick Bosa and veteran Richard Sherman.
History is squarely on San Francisco's side, with five previous Super Bowl victories to their credit, the most recent coming in 1994. Kansas' only previous win came in 1969.
But the TAB favours the Chiefs, paying $1.78 for the win, compared to $2.05 for San Francisco.
Quarterbacks brace for Super Bowl battle
When Kansas City and San Francisco meet in Super Bowl 54, there will be three quarterbacks to focus on - Jimmy Garoppolo, Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady.
The Chiefs' outrageously skilled Mahomes and the 49ers' immensely competent Garoppolo will be the central figures at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium.
But make no mistake, Brady will be omnipresent throughout the championship game.
Monday (NZ time) will mark the first Super Bowl in four years and second in six that Brady and the New England Patriots won't be on the field.
But the future Hall of Famer will surely be part of the conversation from beginning to end.
While Garoppolo was Brady's understudy in New England, many regard Mahomes as his obvious heir apparent and the outcome of the game will put one on the path to a leading role, when the 42-year-old finally calls time.
Garoppolo already has two Super Bowl rings from his time at the Patriots (2014, 2016), but didn't take a snap in either contest.
To win his third - halfway to Brady's six - he will have to earn it.
"Your past is part of you," said Garoppolo, who was traded from New England to San Francisco in 2017.
"The Patriots is where I started, what they did there got to this point here.
"Last two Super Bowls, I tried to treat them like I was the starter. It's not too far off - all this extra stuff that comes with it is a little different.
"The two [Super Bowl] rings mean a lot, but a third would mean more."
At the start of Super Bowl week, Brady offered his former understudy the sporting equivalent of the old 'break a leg' showbiz cliche, texting Garoppolo to "just go win".
In two post-season wins over Green Bay and Minnesota that got the 49ers to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2013, Garoppolo totalled 27 passing attempts and 17 completions for 208 yards.
That's about what Mahomes might throw in half a game.
Garoppolo has displayed impressive game management in his career, going 23 wins for five losses as a starter. Mahomes has produced 27-8, but with considerably more flair.
Garoppolo's contributions have also been minimalised, with a 49ers team constructed around ferocious defence and run-first attack.
In their 37-20 win over Green Bay, the 28-year-old completed just six passes for 77 yards, while running back Raheem Mostert ran for 220 yards - the second most in NFL playoff history - and scored four touchdowns.
On the other hand, Mahomes has been a one-man highlight reel, particularly when he led the Chiefs back from a 24-0 deficit to dismiss Houston 51-31 in the divisional playoff.
With the help of a speedy receiving corps of Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Mecole Hardman and running back Damien Williams that could almost contend for Olympic relay gold, Mahomes has thrown for 608 yards and eight touchdowns in two postseason contests.
The 24-year-old does not yet have any Super Bowl rings, but does have an NFL Most Valuable Player award.
If the Chiefs beat the 49ers, he would become the youngest player to win both.
"It's going to be a great challenge for us," he cautioned. "We have to make sure we're executing at a high level and not making mistakes, and taking it one play at a time.
"It's going to be amazing."
Reuters
