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Tottenham to face Man Utd in all-English Europa League final
Tottenham will face Manchester United in the Europa League final later this month – giving Ange Postecoglou’s side the chance to break their 17-year trophy drought.
Spurs booked their place in the final by pulling off a 2-0 away win against Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt on Thursday, completing a 5-1 victory on aggregate.
Tottenham had been warned to expect a stern examination on Bodo’s notoriously difficult artificial pitch inside the Arctic Circle. which was saturated by sprinklers and light drizzle before kick-off.
A firework display inside the stadium preceded Spurs’ match against Bodo. Pic: Reuters
After a difficult first hour, Dominic Solanke broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute, before Pedro Porro scored their second goal just six minutes later.
Bodo won a stoppage-time penalty after Porro was deemed to have caught Isak Dybvik Maatta, but it was ruled out after a VAR check.
It will be only the second European final Spurs have contested in the last 40 years.
Ange Postecoglou is in his second season as Tottenham manager. Pic: AP
Meanwhile, Manchester United beat Athletic Bilbao 4-1 at Old Trafford – securing a convincing 7-1 win on aggregate.
Mikel Jaureguizar’s first-half goal had given Athletic hope but Mason Mount came off the bench to settle United’s nerves.
Goals from Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund followed, before a second from over 40 yards out by Mount earned a handsome win.
United’s Mason Mount celebrates. Pic: Reuters
The results set up an all-English final in Bilbao on Wednesday 21 May – and means a difficult season for both clubs will end with one of them securing a Champions League spot.
With three Premier League games to go, United and Spurs are currently sitting in 15th and 16th, respectively, and certain to finish in the bottom half.
Chelsea’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall celebrates scoring their first goal with Jadon Sancho. Pic: Reuters
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Chelsea also booked a place in a European final after beating Swedish side Djurgarden in the second leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final.
A 38th-minute goal from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall gave them a 1-0 win, bringing their score on aggregate to 5-1.
They will face Spain’s Real Betis in the final at Stadium Wroclaw, Poland, on Wednesday 28 May.