Rangers’ 50-year wait for a European trophy goes on after Aaron Ramsey’s penalty miss proved decisive in a shootout that delivered the Europa League trophy to Eintracht Frankfurt.
After a goalless first half, Joe Aribo put Rangers in front in the 57th minutes, but 12 minutes later Frankfurt were level through Rafael Borré.
Ryan Kent almost scored a late winner in extra time, but Kevin Trapp made a stunning save to send the match to penalties.
Trapp then saved Ramsey’s spot-kick, the only missed penalty in the shootout as Frankfurt claimed their first European trophy since winning this same competition in its Uefa Cup guise back in 1980.
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Frankfurt justified their pre-match status as favourites by starting the game on top, while John Lundstram avoided a red card for Rangers inside five minutes after a high boot went unpunished.
Weathering a storm, Rangers faced 11 first-half shots, although only three were on target from Frankfurt as Allan McGregor saved from Djibril Sow, Daichi Kamada and Ansgar Knauff.
Rangers went closest through Joe Aribo, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side growing in confidence and ending the half with the majority of possession despite Frankfurt having the better chances.
Rangers player ratings
- Allan McGregor – 6
- James Tavernier – 6
- Connor Goldson – 5
- Calvin Bassey – 7
- Borna Barisic – 5
- John Lundstram – 6
- Ryan Jack – 6
- Ryan Kent – 6
- Joe Aribo – 7
- Glen Kamara – 5
- Scott Wright – 5
Subs
- Steven Davis – 6
- Fashion Sakala – 6
- Scott Arfield – 6
- James Sands – 6
- Kemar Roofe – n/a
- Aaron Ramsey – n/a
After the break there were flares in the Frankfurt end, and amid the smoke another fast start from the German side saw Jesper Lindstrøm go within a whisker of breaking the deadlock, but his deflected effort went narrowly wide.
Ryan Kent then snatched at Rangers’ best effort as it appeared either a moment of magic or calamity would open the scoring.
And it proved to be the latter, with Aribo capitalising on a slip from defender Tuta before bearing down on goal and slotting it past Kevin Trapp.
“A bolt from the blue,” bellowed BT Sport’s commentator Rory Hamilton, with the goal sending Rangers fans into raptures inside the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium.
ARIBO IS IN, AND HE SCORES!
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 18, 2022
Rangers lead in the Europa League final and the travelling Glaswegians go wild! ????
Lift-off for Gio's men!#UELfinal pic.twitter.com/wdDdTMSAI8
But instead of going down as the winner, Aribo’s goal merely sparked the final into life, with Frankfurt cranking up the pressure in search of an equaliser.
In the end, Rangers’ lead lasted all of 12 minutes, with Filip Kostić’s cross evading Connor Goldson – who arguably could have cleared it – before Borré stole ahead of Calvin Bassey to level the tie.
With extra time looming, another Kostić cross almost caught Rangers out, but ultimately 90 minutes was not enough to decide this final.
Penalties were on the horizon, and in extra time Bassey recovered from a slip to block a Borré effort five minutes in, while Borna Barisic and Ryan Kent attempted long-range strikes as fatigue and cramp came into play in what were humid conditions in southern Spain.
Kemar Roofe came on with just three minutes remaining but almost made an instant impact, with his cross finding Kent, whose effort was blocked thanks to a fantastic stop from Trapp before Steven Davis’ follow-up was glanced over.
In the dying moments, Trapp then got across quickly to keep out a James Tavernier free-kick, with the German goalkeeper’s late heroics sending the match to penalties.
His opposite number, McGregor, cut a composed figure just before the shootout, the 40-year-old no doubt studying where Frankfurt’s players could place their penalties, while the coin toss was then won by Rangers to ensure it would take place in front of the travelling Scottish contingent.
How the penalty shootout played out
- Rangers: James Tavernier scores – 1-0
- Frankfurt: Christopher Lenz scores – 1-1
- Rangers: Steven Davis scores – 2-1
- Frankfurt: Ajdin Hrustic scores – 2-2
- Rangers: Scott Arfield scores – 3-2
- Frankfurt: Daichi Kamada scores – 3-3
- Rangers: Aaron Ramsey misses (saved) – 3-3
- Frankfurt: Filip Kostić scores – 3-4
- Rangers: Kemar Roofe scores – 4-4
- Frankfurt: Rafael Borré scores – 4-5
- Frankfurt win 5-4 on penalties
The first six penalties were all scored, but former Arsenal and Juventus midfielder Ramsey saw his effort saved by Trapp, with Borré then scoring the all-important fifth spot-kick for Frankfurt.
Cue tears in the Rangers end, but wild scenes from Frankfurt’s players and fans, in what was their first European triumph for 42 years.
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