Manchester United fans left rueing as Tottenham win Europa League

New Straits Times

22-05-2025

PETALING JAYA: Manchester United fans bemoaned what could have been, as a strong Tottenham Hotspur performance in the Europa League final left them empty-handed once again this season.
In Malaysia, local supporters of both clubs flocked to nearby venues airing the match, filled with hope that the competition might offer a silver lining to what has been a difficult campaign. United currently sit 16th in the league – a far cry from fans' expectations.
Meeting at Piccadilly, members of the Kuala Lumpur Manchunian Red Devils Supporters Club (KLMRD), including father-son duo Rajan and Ajit, remained resilient in their support for the club.
"We were relegated many years ago, and we came back," said Rajan. "So the motto is always 'we will rise again.'"
Another KLMRD member, Gajen, did not hide his disappointment.
"It's heartbreaking. Teams that are traditionally below United are now above us," he lamented.
Despite nerves and uncertainty, fans stayed hopeful as the final kicked off in predictably cagey fashion, with both sides exchanging half-chances but neither goalkeeper being tested. This pattern continued as the game approached half-time.
Then came a stroke of misfortune for United. A Pape Matar Sarr cross from the left was met by Brennan Johnson, who sliced the ball backwards instead of towards goal. It ricocheted off the unfortunate Luke Shaw and bounced into the net, handing Spurs the lead.
The silence among United supporters was deafening as they processed the freak goal. But quickly, they rallied behind their team, urging them to respond before the break.
KLMRD committee member Yogaraj said United were frustrated by the nature of the goal and expressed hope that Alejandro Garnacho would be introduced in the second half.
Fellow United fan Ruzi remained confident, predicting a 3–1 victory. Another supporter, Dexter, added, "I'm not sure what [Rúben Amorim] is going to do, but we need a win tonight."
The second half saw a reinvigorated Manchester United pushing forward with urgency. Fans' optimism briefly returned – but as time wore on, it began to fade.
While United showed some attacking promise late in the game, it was not enough. Tottenham held on to claim their first major trophy in 17 years.
"We lost due to a soft goal. Spurs were hardly in the game, and Onana was a spectator," said a visibly disappointed Yogaraj.
"Garnacho's introduction brought some improvement. Unfortunately, we didn't score.
"It will be interesting what we do during the upcoming transfer window"