Wednesday’s Europa League Final in Bilbao was 17 years in the making for Tottenham fans. They beat Manchester United 1-0 to win the trophy and secure Champions League qualification for next season. Brennan Johnson scored the winning goal in the 42nd minute as he somehow converted a poorly cleared cross by Luke Shaw into the back of the net. It was originally deemed an own goal before being accredited to Johnson.
In the second half, Spurs defended for their lives, not causing Manchester United many problems on the other end. They defended and defended some more until the final whistle blew. The Red Devils were unable to create many clear-cut chances but had a few moments of hope. A Rasmus Højlund header that was cleared off the line by Micky van de Ven in the 68th minute was arguably their best chance of the game. All in all, Tottenham did not do much, but they did enough. Spurs finished with only three shots in the game and one on target. In this sport, it only takes one.
Spurs were the underdogs in this final, cashing their +230 moneyline odds. Before the start of the campaign, they were +450 to win the trophy on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou famously said “I don’t usually win things, I always win things in my second year” earlier this season. He has certainly delivered on that promise and has once again won a trophy in his second season at a club. Now the question remains, will winning this trophy be enough to save his job for next season?
