Eintracht Frankfurt have won the UEFA Europa League title by topping Glasgow Rangers in the dramatic penalty shootout 6-5 (1-1 aet) on Wednesday night in Seville.After coming from behind in the second half, the Germans celebrated a victory as Aribo put the Gers in front, and Borre tied the game to send it to extra-time and, subsequently, to penalties. The same guy scored the winner from the spot, but the tragic hero of the night is Rangers’ Aaron Ramsey.Teammates consolate him… (©Getty images))The former Arsenal player missed it in the fourth round, opening the path for Frankfurt’s win, despite Gio van Bronckhorst having put him in precisely for the penalties a few minutes prior.Aaron Ramsey penalty #AaronRamsey #Ramsey #EuropaLeagueFinal pic.twitter.com/nu0lrS70AO— Francesco Ampò (@AmpoFrancesco) May 18, 2022 It was a much-heated game straight from the kickoff regardless of 40 degrees on the pitch and much more in the stands packed with tens of thousands of Scotts and Germans. An absolute beauty of the game, both for passionate fans and two die-hard slots that were eager to fight for every single ball and chance to reach the glory.It might only be @eintracht_eng and @RangersFC in the @EuropaLeague final, but the fans make everything worth it! 🔥🔥🔥#UELfinal pic.twitter.com/WBAK5wU4Rd— Robert Abong’o (@ab_robah) May 18, 2022 Eintracht were resolute and sharp from the start, but instead of going one up, Knauff’s first-half strike ended on the palms of impeccable veteran McGregor.On the other end, Rangers were struggling to impose their attacking philosophy, creating a sole goal-scoring opportunity for the entire 45 minutes despite some charming build-ups. What the first period failed to deliver – the goals, of course – the second was more than generous. Amid another Frankfurt push, the Gers stroke suddenly and deadly – Joe Aribo reacted superbly following a miscalculation in the Germans’ defence. Sow and Tuta made all the wrong moves, allowing the Nigerian striker to pick the ball and put it in the back of the next for ecstatic celebration among the terraces and 1-0 for Glasgow Rangers.
In the next couple of minutes, it seemed like the British side was about to bulldoze the rivals and kill the game with around half an hour left on the clock. When they failed in doing so, Eintracht served the German-like punishment soon enough through Kostic, who crossed it from the left to Borre, whose mercurial tap-in stunned everyone, Rangers’s keeper included. It was 1-1 on the scoreboard with plenty of time to change the game’s direction, but it remained tied at one after 90 minutes of drama.
The same guy who levelled the score, Borre, was suddenly given a chance to make himself a true hero of the night as Glasgow’s defender Bassey made a horrible slip in the crucial moment. But he surprised even his rival, who slowed down in the box and allowed the centre-back to redeem for previous error.KEVIN. TRAPP 🚫 pic.twitter.com/AaCbD2vJWR— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 18, 2022 We had to wait for the clock to tick 106 minutes to see another chance, this time on the opposite side of the pitch, as Barisic fired from mid-range accurately only to see his effort stopped by Kevin Trapp. The same man saved his team once more late in the second extra-time, denying Kent’s last gasp effort on the far post. As if it was not enough, he stopped Tavernier’s free-kick to seal a perfect extra-time role.And then came the penalties…Aaron Ramsey’s notorious curse is no longer on (no celebrity will die), but the new one is about to haunt Rangers fans for decades and decades.