Eintracht Frankfurt defeated Rangers 5-4 on penalties to win the Europa League on Wednesday after the final in Seville finished 1-1 at the end of extra time.
Aaron Ramsey missed for Rangers in the shoot-out after coming on as a substitute with only three minutes left of extra-time, before Rafael Borre struck the winning shot to complete Frankfurt’s remarkable triumph.
Borre was the hero of the night, after already cancelling out Nigerian international Joe Aribo’s opener for Rangers as Frankfurt won their first European trophy since 1980 and booked their place in next season’s Champions League.
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“We are all heroes. Without the fans we wouldn’t have made it,” said Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp.
Both clubs were looking to win a second European title in their history, Rangers after clinching the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1972 and Frankfurt after they lifted the UEFA Cup 42 years ago.
But Rangers came up just short at the end of an incredible run to the final. Only ten years ago this week, Rangers fell into administration before being liquidated and relegated to Scotland’s bottom tier.
Frankfurt had already beaten Real Betis, Barcelona and West Ham en route to the final and they were probably deserving winners, shading a compelling contest that always seemed to lack real technical quality.
With a capacity of just under 43,000, Sevilla’s Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan was never going to be big enough to house all the travelling fans, with Rangers bringing over an estimated 100,000 while around 60,000 followed Frankfurt to Spain.
The vast majority enjoyed the day in good spirits but security concerns were not unfounded, with skirmishes breaking out in the city centre during the day on Wednesday while five German fans were arrested late on Tuesday night after police said 200 Frankfurt fans launched an attack on Rangers supporters.
It was a scruffy opening 15 minutes as Joe Aribo almost got away after a neat pirouette by Scott Wright before John Lundstram scraped his studs down the dipping head of Sebastian Rode, leaving the Frankfurt captain with a bloody shirt that had to be changed and a head that had to be strapped
The German team gradually took control, faster to the ball and slicker in their passing, suffocating Rangers, who were reduced to speculative punts forward to try to escape the press.
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Frankfurt’s Ansgar Knauff went close, the penalty box opening up for the winger at the end of a winding run forward, only for Allan McGregor to tip wide.
