Eintracht Frankfurt beat Rangers on penalties to win Europa League
Eintracht Frankfurt beat Rangers 5-4 on penalties on Wednesday to lift the Europa League title and win their first European trophy in 42 years.
Eintracht keeper Kevin Trapp saved Aaron Ramsey’s spot-kick — Rangers’ fourth — while Eintracht were flawless in their execution, scoring all five.
In a dull first half Frankfurt began the better, Jesper Lindstrom wasting a decent opportunity when a corner was cut back to him.
The second half was a much better game, and on 57 minutes Aribo gave Rangers the lead after consecutive error from Djibril Sow and Tuta. But similar – though less egregious – behaviour from Scott Wright, Connor Goldson and Calvin Bassey meant that Borrre equalised on 69.
Key stats
Frankfurt and Rangers became the 17th and 18th clubs to take part in the Europa League final. They were also the first finalists from Germany and Scotland respectively.
This is the first time the Europa League has been won by a team outside of Spain or England since 2010/11, when Porto defeated Braga.
Frankfurt are the first Bundesliga team to win the UEFA Cup/Europa League since 1997, when Schalke beat Inter on penalties.
Aribo is the only player to have appeared on all 15 Europa League matchdays this season (13 starts, two substitute appearances).
Frankfurt have scored at least one goal in each of their 13 Europa League matches this season.
This was the ninth UEFA Cup/Europa League final to go to extra time since the final was changed to a one-off fixture in 1998. Five of them have now gone to penalties.
Frankfurt will play in the Champions League for the first time next season – their only season in UEFA’s premier club competition previous was in 1959/60, when they made it to the European Cup final.
The Eagles finished unbeaten in this season’s competition (W7 D6) and became only the third team to go through the campaign without a defeat – after Chelsea in 2018/19 and Villarreal last season.
Both teams flogged themselves in search of a winner, but neither had the class to find one, and effectively shook hands on a draw with five minutes to go.
Hard though they tried, neither side had the class or legs to force the issue in extra time – though Kevin Trapp made a life-defining save two minutes before the end – so penalties it was and Ramsey was the fall guy as Frankfurt celebrated the win, the trophy and entry to next season’s Champions League.
