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Tottenham Beats United In Europa League Final, Ends 17-Year Drought

Posted: Thu May 22, 2025 3:30 pm
by RealGM Wiretap

Tottenham defeated Manchester United in the Europa League final to secure their first trophy since 2008 and first European competition victory in 40 years. The match was decided by a late goal involving Brennan Johnson.

Manager Ange Postecoglou adapted his typically attacking style to a more pragmatic approach throughout the knockout rounds. Tottenham completed just 115 passes with a 61 percent completion rate in the final, marking a significant departure from their usual possession-based game.

Postecoglou had repeatedly referenced his track record of winning trophies in his second season at clubs. In September, after back-to-back Premier League defeats, he declared his confidence in the pattern continuing at Spurs.

\"I always win things in my second year. Nothing has changed,\" Postecoglou said in September after consecutive Premier League losses.

Postecoglou Addresses Club\'s Mental Hurdle

\"It wasn\'t me boasting, it was a declaration ... If we fell short, I was ready to cop it,\" Postecoglou told TNT after the victory.

The manager acknowledged the unique pressure at Tottenham, where previous world-class managers struggled to deliver silverware. He emphasized that only winning a trophy could change the club\'s perception and break their psychological barriers.

\"I know what it is for this football club, it\'s hard to break that cycle,\" Postecoglou told TNT Sports. \"Us finishing third [in the Premier League] wasn\'t going to change anything for this football club. The only thing that was going to change this football club was us winning something.\"

Decisive Moment Caps Scrappy Final

The winning goal came through a sequence involving Richarlison\'s movement and Rodrigo Bentancur\'s pass to Pape Sarr. Sarr\'s cross ultimately found its way past Manchester United goalkeeper André Onana off Luke Shaw\'s arm, with Johnson applying crucial pressure.

Johnson\'s involvement proved particularly meaningful after facing fan criticism earlier in the season. The Welsh winger had deactivated his Instagram account in September due to online abuse but responded with his 18th goal of the campaign across all competitions.

Manchester United created several opportunities, with Rasmus Hojlund coming closest when Micky van de Ven made a decisive goal-line clearance. Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario made important saves from Alejandro Garnacho and Shaw despite an inconsistent performance.

Tottenham defended resolutely in the second half, barely crossing the halfway line as United applied constant pressure. The tactical discipline represented a significant shift from Postecoglou\'s usual approach.

The victory marks Postecoglou\'s continuation of winning a trophy in his second season at clubs, though it required abandoning his characteristic high-pressing philosophy for a more defensive strategy reminiscent of José Mourinho\'s methods.

Via Jonathan Wilson/The Guardian