ekane
Tonight’s Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao is generating huge interest as the two Premier League clubs have had domestic seasons to forget, but one of them will earn Champions League football by the end of the night.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Brennan Johnson scores against Manchester United.
Hojlund is in the midst of a tough battle with Van de Ven and Romero, who’ve both been touch-tight to the Danish frontman and kept him quiet to this point.
Not afraid to stick the boot in at times, either, though Van de Ven is now on a tightrope with that caution.
Bruno Fernandes
Micky van de Ven
Rasmus Hojlund
United with plenty of early possession and the first sight of goal comes from a move worked down the right.
The cross is played into Hojlund but he can’t get the proper connection.
United do have irons in the fire, though, as the players resurface from the San Mames tunnel.
Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho, perhaps?
Onana has probably been the more tested of the goalkeepers and has done well, although he’ll be disappointed to get beaten at his near post regardless of whether Johnson or Shaw got the last touch.
Hojlund also needs to impose himself more on the game. The Danish striker has struggled to get many touches and really not troubled Vicario at all.
So, Spurs have the advantage at the break and have drawn first blood in a game where both sides have posed a threat.
United perhaps in need of a few more concrete efforts at goal, with Vicario plucking out Amad’s cross right before the half-time whistle when there were a few bodies in there ready to pounce.
Or is it a Luke Shaw own goal? Anyway, Udogie with the ball in at the near post, Johnson is lurking and Onana gets hands but can’t keep it out as it’s put into the back of the net from just a few yards out!
Spurs in front and Postecoglou’s ‘second season’ theory might just be coming to fruition…
Brennan Johnson
Just as Dorgu and Porro are in an intriguing battle down one side, there’s one on the other flank, too, with Amad and Udogie looking to barrel forward when they can.
Amad’s had flashes in the game, looking to drive at Udogie and get infield where Fernandes and the so far anonymous Rasmus Hojlund are waiting.
Pape Matar Sarr
I can sense the ‘get rid of it’ shouts from here!
Leny Yoro almost caught by Sarr as he was playing out from the back but, fortunately for the young centre-back, it ricochets right into Onana’s grateful arms. That was a let-off.
Pedro Porro
It’s another dead ball for Porro on the back of that, with Richarlison having done well to cover as much ground as he did to get into the final third.
Not one of the Spaniard’s better deliveries as United clear the danger without too much stress.
Amad Diallo
Ironically, it was under Ruben Amorim at Sporting where Porro’s crossing was really harnessed into an attacking weapon.
A lot of Spurs’ play has been going through him in this first half-hour.
Dorgu’s been at the centre of things and he concedes a seemingly unnecessary corner after Destiny Udogie supplied the cross.
This is Porro territory once more, it finds Richarlison but he can’t trap the ball under his spell.
Some fluid bits of football at times from both sides, but they’re keen to attack directly when they can but putting balls in behind or driving with it from midfield.
Fascinating battle developing down the Spurs right/United left with Porro and Dorgu, too. Two attack-minded full-backs who’ve both found room to get crosses into the box.
Bruno Fernandes
Corner for United on the back of a slightly anxious Cristian Romero sliding challenge to send Dorgu’s low cross behind.
Fernandes steps over it on the left and it somehow finds Amad at the far post, and he lashes a rasping shot just past the left-hand post. Had that got a touch, there’s a good chance it’d have found the net!
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