Spurs End 17-Year Trophy Drought with Europa League Glory Over Man Utd

By: Gyang Dakwo

Tottenham Hotspur have finally won a trophy after 17 long years. They beat Manchester United 1-0 to win the UEFA Europa League final in Bilbao, Spain. It was their fourth win over United this season and a bright end to what had been a very poor campaign.

The only goal of the match came in the 42nd minute from Brennan Johnson. That goal did more than just win the game. It sent Spurs straight into next season’s UEFA Champions League and gave fans a reason to celebrate after years of waiting.

This match was unusual. Never before had two teams so low in the Premier League table met in a European final. Manchester United are 16th and Tottenham are 17th. Between them, they have lost 39 league games this season. But that did not matter on this big night.

For Spurs, it was their first European trophy since 1984. There may not have been much excitement for neutral fans, but for Tottenham supporters, it was a dream come true.

Goal scorer Johnson said it was a special moment. “This season has not been good at all, but not one of us players care about that now,” said Johnson. “This team has not won a trophy for 17 years; it means so much. All the fans get battered, and we get battered for not winning a trophy. We had to get the first one, I am so happy.”

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou has now achieved what top coaches before him could not. Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho, and Antonio Conte all failed to win a trophy for the club. After losing to Arsenal earlier this season, Postecoglou said, “I always win things in my second year.” He has now proved himself right.

For Manchester United, the defeat ends a season to forget. They will miss out on Champions League football next season, and their league form has been their worst in more than 50 years.

United manager Ruben Amorim said that winning would not have changed much. “The most important thing is the feeling of winning,” he said. But for United fans, that feeling will have to wait a bit longer.