A punch to the gut: one crucial mistake sees United lose 1-0 to Spurs in a bitter Europa League final defeat

Manchester United fell to a heartwrenching 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Europa League final on Wednesday night.

It was a make-or-break match for United, who had everything to play for in this match. In addition to Champions League qualification, victory in the final would hand manager Ruben Amorim some much-needed salvation following what has been a painful season for his team.

Sadly, it wasn’t to be for United and Amorim, with a crucial defensive error resulting in United’s defeat.

Three minutes in, Christian Romero fouled Rasmus Hojlund in the air, handing United an opportune free kick.

Luke Shaw’s cross was a dangerous one, only to be cleared out for a corner.

Bruno Fernandes hammered his corner to Casemiro, but he was marked. Hojlund managed to get the ball to Fernandes in the box, who only managed a soft shot that the keeper caught due to being heavily marked.

In the ninth minute, Pedro-Porro drilled a threatening cross into the box that Noussair Mazraoui did well to head out for a corner.

Soon after, miscommunication between Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw resulted in Spurs making a threatening interception. While Brennan Johnson managed to cut back the ball to the centre of the box, Maguire did well to compensate for his earlier blunder by making a crucial block.

15 minutes in, Patrick Dorgu got on the end of a surgical cross from Maguire. He played a threatening pass into the centre of the box that was cut out and sent out for a corner. Fernandes’ corner was a threatening one, finding the feet of Amad Diallo at the far post.

Soon after, the match slowed down significantly, with neither side creating any threatening scoring opportunities. Amad tried to enter the box with a decent run, only for Johnson to block his path.

Amad came within inches of finding the opener, sending his shot just wide of the post.

10 minutes before the break, Amad received a yellow card for a foul on Richarlison.

Just as it seemed as if the match would remain goalless going into the break, Spurs took the lead. Johnson got on the end of a surgical cross, with Shaw unable to get a foot to the ball. While Onana got a glove to Johnson’s close-range effort, it wasn’t enough to prevent the goal. 1-0 to Spurs with two minutes of the half to play.

While United enjoyed some bouts of control, it was a frustrating half for Amorim’s team, who lacked the final product as well as the aggression needed to truly challenge their opponents’ defence. Something truly special was needed to turn the match around.

In the opening minutes of the second half, United appeared to control more of the ball but seemed far from comfortable. It appeared as if they were unsure how to proceed – a look that they would have surely hoped to change fast.

57 minutes in, United earned an opportune free kick. Fernandes sent his cross to Leny Yoro, who just missed out on getting a boot to the ball. Had he done so, United may have drawn level.

After the hour mark, Yoro was fortunate to get away with a sliding tackle on Johnson without receiving a booking. While United were able to spark a counter, Amad was blocked before he could get a shot away.

In the 67th minute, United came their closest to scoring. A Fernandes free-kick found Spurs goalkeeper Vicario, who failed to catch the ball cleanly. Hojlund got on the end of the rebound, heading the ball goalward only for it to be cleared inches away from the goal line.

With little over 20 minutes to play, Alejandro Garnacho came on to replace Mason Mount, while Joshua Zirkzee replaced Hojlund.

Straight after, Fernandes got on the end of a blistering cross from Mazraoui, directing his shot wide of the near post.

Hungry to get his team back in the match, Garnacho raced into the box from the left flank, taking a blistering shot to force a corner. Finally, United’s attack had come to life.

With 10 minutes to go, United were camped in their opponents’ final third, but the likes of Yoro, Fernandes and Garnacho were unable to find an opening.

While Zirkzee did well to track back and dispossess Udogie to end a threatening counter-attack, he received a yellow card for his efforts. Diogo Dalot then came on to replace a tired Mazraoui.

Maguire received a yellow card in the 88th minute after bringing down Romero. With the pair continuously clashing with one another, the booking comes as little surprise.

Moments before the 90th minute, Amorim brought on Kobbie Mainoo in place of Dorgu. While it may have been intended as an impact sub, Mainoo was given little time to make his mark, with only seven minutes of stoppage time awarded.

In a bizarre twist, the referee made his way to the United bench and booked unused substitute Victor Lindelof. It appeared that he did so in response to a touchline altercation with one of the match officials.

Two minutes into added time, Dalot picked out Maguire at the far post with a soaring cross, only for Maguire’s header to go wide. Time was rapidly running out for Amorim’s men to stage a late comeback.

Following an elaborate build-up, Garnacho cut the ball back to Yoro on the outside of the box, who fired his shot over the crossbar. Ultimately, he was forced to take a speculative shot as the Spurs defence remained airtight.

With less than a minute to play, Shaw got in a header than Vicario saved off the line. The entire stadium was hysterical, thinking that United may have drawn level.

The entire team went up for the subsequent corner, including Onana. While Garnacho attempted a speculative shot, the ball landed up in the side netting.

It was then that the referee blew the full-time whistle, bringing an end to a traumatic match for United fans to say the least.

Starting XI: Onana, Mazraoui, Maguire, Mount, Fernandes, Hojlund, Dorgu, Yoro, Amad, Casemiro, Shaw
Subs: Garnacho, Zirkzee, Dalot, Mainoo

Featured image Michael Steele via Getty Images

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