Tottenham Hotspur win Europa League
Manchester United 0 - 1 Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur ended 17 years of frustration as Brennan Johnson’s first-half goal secured a 1–0 victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final.
Author - Liam C
Stadium - San Mamés
In a tense affair at Bilbao’s San Mamés Stadium, Johnson bundled home what proved to be the decisive goal just before the break. It capped off a cagey contest between two of the lowest-placed teams ever to meet in a European final.
The win delivers on Ange Postecoglou’s promise of silverware in his second season at the helm. The under-pressure Australian has now joined club legends Bill Nicholson and Keith Burkinshaw in leading Spurs to continental glory. It is a remarkable achievement, even if it may not be enough to keep him in the job long term.
With speculation surrounding his future, Postecoglou may still depart this summer, but he will do so a hero to the travelling 15,000 Spurs fans, and the many more unofficial supporters who flooded the Basque city.
READ MORE | Spurs fans reaction to a memorable night for their club
READ MORE | Recap a fantastic day in Bilbao
The triumph also secures Tottenham a lucrative £100 million windfall and a return to the Champions League.
It marks a season of unlikely success for clubs long starved of silverware, following the examples set earlier in the campaign by Newcastle United and Crystal Palace.
United’s season ends in disappointment
For Manchester United, the defeat caps off a dismal campaign and their worst since the 1973–74 relegation season. Head coach Ruben Amorim is now under intense scrutiny as United prepare for their final Premier League match against Aston Villa on Sunday.
Although he still enjoys the backing of the club’s ownership, Amorim’s decision to start Mason Mount over Alejandro Garnacho in attack failed to pay off. Captain Bruno Fernandes also struggled to influence the game, and United lacked the creativity to mount a serious comeback after falling behind.
READ MORE | GM Super News gives it's thoughts on the overall impact of a defeat for Manchester United
They came close to an equaliser when Rasmus Højlund's header, following a rare mistake from Guglielmo Vicario, was acrobatically cleared off the line by Micky van de Ven. Late on, Vicario redeemed himself with a crucial save from Luke Shaw’s header.
How the match was won
The decisive goal was a scrappy one, with some debate over whether Johnson got the final touch. It was a fitting way to settle a final involving two underperforming sides who have both endured tepid domestic seasons.
With tension evident from the opening minutes, and nerves affecting even the most experienced players, it always seemed likely that a slice of fortune would decide the contest. When Pape Matar Sarr floated in a cross just before half-time, Johnson nipped in to make the decisive impact.
For Tottenham, it was a night of joy and relief. For United, it was another painful chapter in a season to forget.
