Eintracht Frankfurt, executioner of Barça and Betis, completed their great career in the Europa League by winning the title by defeating Gio van Bronckhorst’s Rangers on penalties (1-1 and 5-4) in the final played at the Sánchez-Pizjuñan in Seville under strong heat.
read also
Colombian Rafael Santos Borré (former Atlético and Villarreal) was the architect of the Germans’ triumph, 42 years after winning their only continental title so far (the 1980 UEFA Cup), by forcing the tie with his goal (1 -1) and decide the shootout with his last shot (5-4).
Santos Borré and Trapp, decisive
But Santos Borré shared the spotlight with Kevin Trapp, who made two providential saves in the final moments of extra time and saved Aaron Ramsey’s only missed penalty in the shootout.
Eintracht remained faithful to the style that led them to eliminate Betis and Barça. Organized in defense, withdrawn in his plot waiting to recover the ball to go out fired on the counterattack. He managed it on a few occasions as Rangers, with a more flexible game, alternated long possessions with long shots to avoid precisely the losses that gave wings to the rival.
lazy first part
Under this pattern, Eintracht started the game better and, faced with the sterile dominance of the Scots, had three chances to advance, the clearest in a run by left-back Ansgar Knauff, whose placed shot was taken by the veteran Allan McGregor (20′ ).
Eintracht lacked determination, hitting, in the first half and allowed Rangers to balance the duel and could even score with two isolated shots by Scott Wright, who skimmed the post (26′), and a header by John Lundstram that took Kevin Trapp with the tips of his fingers (36′).
The duel between right back James Tavernier and Filip Kostic, the figure of the Germans, was one of the highlights of a first half with little football. The second was another story and the game had all the emotion of a final.
VAR misses a penalty
Eintracht, with better individuals, started again with greater drive. Rangers were saved when Jesper Lindström’s half-turn shot almost went in after bouncing off Glen Kamara (49′) and, above all, when the Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, in collusion with the VAR, missed a clear penalty from Connor Goldson over Rafael Santos Borré (53′).
Serious Sow and Aribo brand error
Eintracht forgave and paid for it in an unfortunate move as Joe Aribo took advantage of a horrible back clearance from Djibril Sow and Tuta’s stumble to break away and beat Trapp on his way out (57′). It is the first goal in the Europa League for this Nigerian midfielder born in London who plays up front in the absence of Alfredo Morelos and the presence on the bench of a Kemar Roofe who is coming off an injury-
The most spectacular photos of the Eintracht – Rangers final
Rangers went ahead in their second shot between the three posts, but Eintracht did not fall apart, they insisted and locked him up. Calvin Bassey providentially chested out a shot from Lindström (58′) and, after a swooping shot from Daisi Kamada that narrowly missed him, it was a 1-1 that did justice.
Kostic puts it and Santos Borré draws
Kostic, tournament king of assists with 6, put in a good cross from the left that caught the staunch Scottish defense off guard for the first time and Santos Borré, moving past Bassey, appeared to nail his shot to the near post (69′). The Colombian, formerly of Atlético and Villarreal, has scored 4 goals and has scored in the quarterfinals against Barça, the semis and the final.
Already with just enough strength due to the strong heat and afraid of losing, a cross shot by Kostic was the last cartridge for Eintracht before extra time. The balance was maintained and, already at the last breath, Rangers had a very clear double chance to avoid the shootout, but Trapp, miraculously, took a point-blank shot from Ryan Kent with his body and seconds later saved a free kick from Tavernier .
Trapp completed the task in the penalty shootout by stopping Ramsey’s shot and Santos Borré completed 100% success for Eintracht to win the second European title in its history before the joy of a crowd that invaded the Camp Nou and played today glory in Seville.
Eintracht Frankfurt: Trapp; Tuta (Hasebe, m.58), Touré, N’Dicka (Lenz, m.100); Knauff, Sow (Hrustic, m.105), Rode (Jakic, m.89), Kostic; Lindstrom (Hauge, m.71), Kamada; Borre.
Rangers: McGregor; Tavernier, Goldson, Bassey, Barisic (Roofe, m.117); Jack (Davis, m.74), Lundstram; Wright (Sakala, m.74) (Ramsey, m.117), Kamara (Arfield, m.91), Kent; Aribo (Sands, m.101).
Goals: 0-1, M.57: Aribo. 1-1, M.69: Santos Borré.
Penalty shootout: 0-1, Tavernier. 1-1, Lenz. 1-2, Davis. 2-2, Hrustic. 2-3, Arfield. 3-3, Kamada. 3-3, Ramsey (for Trapp). 4-3, Kosti. 4-4, Roofe. 5-4, Rafael Santos Borre.
Referee: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia). Rangers admonished Aribo (m.62) and Wright (m.73).
Stadium: Final of the Europa League played at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán stadium in Seville before 40,000 spectators, who filled the stands.
see game file