Tottenham 1–0 Man Utd: Player Ratings As Spurs Break Trophy Drought With Europa League

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·21 Mei 2025

Tottenham 1–0 Man Utd: Player Ratings As Spurs Break Trophy Drought With Europa League

Tottenham Hotspur beat Manchester United 1–0 in the Europa League final in Bilbao to end their 17-year trophy drought and qualify for next season’s Champions League.

An all-English chorus engulfed San Mamés from the first minute but there was little to excite either set of supporters in the early exchanges. Amad Diallo’s arrowed strike across goal came closest to opening the scoring, with both sides unwilling to push too many bodies into advanced positions.

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The nerves were palpable among those in both white and red shirts as they half-heartedly searched for a crucial opener. The first 30 minutes passed with only one shot on target and a distinct lack of quality for a major European final, with Tottenham and United producing performances more fitting of their sub-par Premier League form instead.

The showpiece event was screaming out for a moment of ingenuity and Pape Matar Sarr provided one on the cusp of halftime that saw Spurs take the lead. The midfielder’s teasing delivery across the front post was miscued by Brennan Johnson and fortuitously deflected off Luke Shaw, allowing the Welshman to force the ball over the line from close range with the faintest of touches from his studs.

United knew drastic improvements were needed after the restart to overturn the deficit but they showed little urgency. Talisman Bruno Fernandes struggled and those around him appeared devoid of ideas, with Tottenham content to sink deeper and counter-attack.

Set-pieces looked United’s most likely route to goal and they would have found an equaliser from a free kick had it not been for an astonishing acrobatic goal-line clearance. Tottenham stopper Guglielmo Vicario failed to claim a delivery into his penalty area and Rasmus Højlund looped an effort goalward, only for Micky van de Ven to leap high and volley clear.

Højlund’s header sparked the Red Devils into life and they started to enjoy a sustained period of pressure on the Spurs goal. Fernandes spurned an excellent opportunity as he headed wide from close range and substitute Alejandro Garnacho forced Vicario into a fingertip save with one of his first actions.

But the onslaught was short-lived as United floundered in the closing stages, only testing Vicario through Shaw's 97th-minute header. In the end, Spurs held on to secure their first trophy since 2008 and first piece of European silverware in 41 years, with victory also sealing their spot in next year's Champions League.