Tottenham Hotspur made the breakthrough against Manchester United in the Europa League final just before half-time.
Brennan Johnson stabs in Tottenham Hotspur's opener.
Tottenham Hotspur opened the scoring just before half-time in Bilbao.(Image: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images.)
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand criticised Patrick Dorgu for failing to communicate with Luke Shaw in the build up to Tottenham Hotspur drawing first blood in Wednesday night's Europa League final.
Spurs got their noses in front just a few minutes before half-time when Pape Matar Sarr's cross from the left was turned in by Brennan Johnson.
The Wales international turned the ball home from close range with the faintest of touches after the ball bounced off Shaw and headed towards the bottom corner of the goal.
Johnson made a darting run across Shaw to try and get to the ball first, and by the time the United defender had recognised his movement, the ball was in a position of danger.
However, Ferdinand took aim at Dorgu, who was the defender stationed furthest away from the ball at the time of Sarr's cross, for failing to warn Shaw of Johnson's darting run, suggesting a lack of experience let the Dane down.
Ferdinand told TNT Sports: "Dorgu, at no point in this, does he speak to Luke Shaw. I think you always need that help.
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"Maybe it's an experience thing. He doesn't let him know. By the time he sees the white shirt flash across him, it's too late and the ball ends up in the back of the net.
"I always say the defender the furthest away is your talker and your eyes and ears. He has to signal the other players.
"He has to shout, scream, push, whatever, and let them know players are running across them, and he didn't do that and they got punished."
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