Tottenham Hotspur ended their long wait for European glory with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final on Wednesday, securing their first continental trophy in 40 years and a return to the UEFA Champions League.

The decisive goal came just before halftime, as Brennan Johnson capitalised on a fortunate deflection in the box to slot the ball past United goalkeeper André Onana. 

The win marks Spurs’ first major silverware since lifting the League Cup in 2008 and their first European triumph since claiming the UEFA Cup in 1984.

The triumph offers a lifeline in what has otherwise been a disappointing domestic season for Tottenham, who are languishing near the foot of the Premier League table. 

It also eases the pressure on manager Ange Postecoglou, who faced growing scrutiny amid the team’s inconsistent form.

Manchester United, meanwhile, face a turbulent summer. Sitting just above Spurs in the league standings and now missing out on European football entirely next season, manager Ruben Amorim finds himself under increasing pressure.

Despite the narrow scoreline, the match had moments of high drama. Rasmus Hojlund’s powerful header in the 68th minute was cleared off the line by Spurs defender Micky van de Ven, and Luke Shaw nearly snatched a late equaliser in stoppage time, only to be denied by a sharp save from Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

The San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao hosted a nearly 50,000-strong crowd, split between both sets of fans, witnessing Tottenham’s first win over United in a final since the two last met in the 2009 League Cup.

For Tottenham’s Son Heung-min, who came off the bench in the second half, the victory ends a decade-long wait for a trophy with the North London club.

Source: Al Jazeera 

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