NFL Super Bowl: LA Rams defeat Cincinnati Bengals

The Los Angeles Rams are the champions of Super Bowl LVI after playing a tight game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Both the Rams and the Bengals overcame the odds to reach the National Football League (NFL) championship game.

The Los Angeles Rams emerged victorious in their fight to secure a hometown win during the final, denying the Cincinnati Bengals their first Super Bowl win.

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Despite a last minute push by the Bengals, the Rams managed to hold off their lead, putting the final score at 23 to 20 with the Rams in the lead.

The Rams scored the first touchdown of the game, taking the lead in the first quarter. The Bengals answered with a field goal, followed by another touchdown by the Rams. 

The Bengals recovered in the second quarter, scoring their first touchdown of the Super Bowl and narrowing the Rams' lead. 

At the start of the third quarter, the Bengals scored a quick touchdown followed by a field goal. The Rams fought back to score a field goal of their own and narrow the lead.

The fourth quarter saw the Rams once again take the lead with a touchdown, with less than 2 minutes left to go in the game.

Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp was named the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player (MVP). The offensive player logged eight receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns during the game.

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"It feels outstanding," said Rams head coach Sean McVay, who is the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl. "It was poetic, man."

The Bengals came close to putting a crown on this season's Cinderella story under the leadership of head coach Zac Taylor, but were denied in the end.

The game saw veteran Rams quarterback (QB) Matthew Stafford pitted against rising Bengals QB Joe Burrow.

The Bengals were considered the underdogs entering the Super Bowl, having overcome two dismal losing seasons.

The Rams, however, brought more experience to the field and had the home field advantage while playing in LA's $5.5 billion (€4.94 billion) SoFi Stadium. The Rams' defense is particularly formidable, headed by the best defensive player in the NFL, Aaron Donald.

Hip-hop legends at halftime

The highly-anticipated halftime show was a star-studded affair, featuring rap and hip-hop giants Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent.

The performance was a tribute to Los Angeles, with moving sets resembling the streets of the iconic Californian city, and specifically the city of Inglewood.

At one point, rapper Eminem appeared to take a knee during the performance — a reference to the Black Lives Matter movement. The form of silent protest was famously initiated by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016 and has now become a global symbol of solidarity against racism. 

The game was also broadcast live in Germany and other countries around the world, with global US football fans buckling down for a late night.

Fans had to face steep prices to view this year's NFL championship live in the stadium, with the average price for tickets sold hitting $6,136.

rs/wd (AP, AFP, Reuters)