Europa League Final: Austrian Ghanaian Defender Kevin Danso Helps Tottenham End Trophy Curse

• Tottenham Hotspur brought their almost 20-year wait for a trophy to an end on Wednesday, May 21
• An Austrian defender with Ghanaian roots played a bit-part role in the North London club's success in Bilbao
• A Brennan Johnson first-half strike was enough as the Lilywhites pipped Man United to clinch the Europa League final

Kevin Danso may have started on the bench, but the Austrian-Ghanaian defender still played his part in helping Tottenham Hotspur finally bring an end to their long wait for silverware.

Danso's Spurs edged past Manchester United in a tightly contested Europa League final. The 26-year-old was called upon in the closing stages to help see out the result.

Kevin Danso helps Tottenham break 17-year trophy drought with Europa League win

Brennan Johnson’s first-half goal proved to be the difference on a night when every inch of the pitch mattered.

Danso replaced the Welsh forward late in the second half, tasked with helping solidify Ange Postecoglou’s backline as the pressure mounted.

Though he only featured for 11 minutes, the former RC Lens centre-back made his presence felt. He registered three clearances, won an aerial challenge, and earned a respectable 6.6 rating on Sofascore.

How Spurs pip Man United to Europa League title

Coming into the clash, Tottenham had already defeated United three times across all competitions this season.

With this latest triumph, they made it four wins from four, none more significant than this one in Bilbao.

The final itself began with real urgency from the North Londoners.

Hungry and sharp, Spurs took control of the tempo early on, showing no signs of the nerves typically associated with such a make-or-break encounter.

In the 42nd minute, Senegalese midfielder Pape Matar Sarr whipped a teasing ball into the danger area.

Johnson, arriving at the right time, managed to bundle it home, his finish more scrappy than stylish, but no less crucial.

That goal triggered a noticeable shift in Tottenham's tactical shape.

Known for his progressive, high-risk style, Postecoglou made a rare move by dropping deeper and inviting pressure, a decision that suggested respect for United’s late-game threat.

Man United responded with a spell of relentless pressure. They came agonisingly close to finding an equaliser, most notably in the 69th minute when Micky van de Ven pulled off a dramatic goal-line clearance, per Goal.

The Red Devils kept probing, with Alejandro Garnacho, Luke Shaw, and Bruno Fernandes all trying to fine the net, but nothing went through.

It was a gutsy, determined showing—one that reflected the hunger of a side desperate to end a 17-year wait for a major trophy.

The last time Spurs tasted success was back in 2008, under Juande Ramos, when they defeated Chelsea in the EFL Cup final.

Supercomputer predicts Europa League winner

Earlier, YEN.com.gh revealed that Opta's Supercomputer crunched the numbers through thousands of simulations to project the Europa League final outcome.

The AI-powered model gave Tottenham a slight edge, rating their chances at 50.3%, narrowly ahead of Manchester United's 49.7%.

Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh