Tottenham Hotspur defeated Manchester United 1-0 to win the Europa League final on Wednesday in Bilbao, Spain.
The victory secured Spurs its first cup title in 17 years.
Athletic Bilbao’s Estadio de San Mamés was full of tears of joy from Tottenham fans clad in white and players alike at the full-time whistle as the team appears to have abolished the reputation for not finishing big matches.
It’s a major moment for Spurs as they win the club’s first trophy since 2008 and first continental silverware since the 1983-84 season. The north London club has struggled to shake off the reputation of being “nearly good enough” over the last decade and celebrated the win as if it was their first trophy in nearly two decades.
The first half was sloppy, with both teams unable to take control of the game or create genuine goal chances. Spurs struck late in the half through midfielder Brennan Johnson.
In the 42nd minute, Tottenham’s midfielder Pape Sarr whipped a right-footed cross into the area, with the ball deflecting off Man United’s Luke Shaw and then getting a slight touch from Spurs’ top scorer in all competitions.
The scrappy conversion from the Welshman sent Tottenham fans into euphoria, while fans wearing red remained seated and dejected just ahead of the half.
The highlight of the match, at least the most athletic, came in the second half. With United pressing for an equalizer, Micky Van de Ven flashed a moment of brilliance.
After Manchester United’s free-kick was blundered by Tottenham keeper Guglielmo Vicario, United’s Rasmus Højlund snapped an uncontested header toward an unguarded goal, only for the Dutchman to fill the gaping space with an acrobatic scissor kick goal clearance to preserve the lead in the 62nd minute.
Later, Vicario made amends with a nifty stretch save on Alejandro Garnacho and then an even better stop on Luke Shaw near the end to preserve the clean sheet and the win.
Champions League prestige and money secured
By winning the competition, Tottenham qualify for the continent’s top club competition, the Champions League, next season – despite how dreadful the clubs’ recent domestic performances have been.
The two English teams have been experiencing frustrating, parallel worlds as the pair have struggled mightily in the Premier League.
Tottenham lies in 17th place in the table, losing 21 times this season, while Manchester United lies one place ahead in 16th position, having won just four league games since the turn of the year.
“I’m so happy right now. Honestly, this season hasn’t been good at all but I swear, not one of us players right now care about that,” Johnson told the TNT Sports 1 broadcast after the match with the Welsh flag draped over him.
“This is what it’s all about. The club hasn’t won a trophy for 17 years. Honestly, this is what it means. It means so much. All the fans get battered, we get battered about not winning a trophy, not winning anything. … I’m so happy.”
The achievement was especially sweet for Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou, who has been widely criticized for the club’s Premier League performance this season. The Australian, who is in his second season at the north London club, forecasted this feat last year.
“I don’t usually win things…I always win things in my second year. Nothing has changed,” he confidently said in September after a defeat to rival Arsenal.
In previous managerial stops, Postecoglou has won titles and cups in his second season in charge.
“I think people misinterpreted it. It wasn’t really boasting, it was me making a declaration. And I believed it,” he said after beating United.
“At the time I said it, I was still in the Carabao Cup. I just had this thing inside me, more than anything else, I know our league form has been terrible – nowhere near good enough and unacceptable – but us finishing third wasn’t going to change this football club. The only thing that would change this football club is us winning something and when I said that, that was my intent.
“I believed it inside me, that was my ambition. I wanted to state it. I couldn’t expect anyone from the club to state it because the club has been so close, but I could say it. I was prepared to wear it if it didn’t happen. The beauty of it is that people kept reminding me of it. The reason they kept reminding me of it was because there was still a chance to do it. I was comfortable with it.”
The title represented a historical achievement for Son Heung-min. After the match, Spurs noted that he was the first club captain from South Korea to lead his team to a major European trophy.
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