KEIR RADNEDGE REPORTING —- Precisely 62 years to the day after first hitting European club headlines, Eintracht Frankfurt won the UEFA Europa League by edging Rangers in a penalty shootout in the Estadio Sanchez Pizjuan in Seville.

Frankfurt had won only three of their previous 13 games, all in the Europa League, whereas Rangers had timed their improving form perfectly under Gio van Bronckhorst who had taken over from Aston Villa-bound Steven Gerrard last November.

But a hectic, if balanced two hours of football went to a shootout after a 1-1 draw secured by second-half goals from Rangers’ Joe Aribo and Franfurt’s Rafael Borre. Frankfurt then edged the shootout 5-4 after late Rangers’ substitute Aaron Ramsey had his kick saved by official man of the match Kevin Trapp.

Rangers had opened their campaign under Steven Gerrard last autumn by losing their first two group matches but now they wanted a German hat-trick since successor Gio van Bronckhorst had guided his men to victories over Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals and RB Leipzig in the semis.

The Light Blues were marking not only their 150th anniversary but a decade since they were declared bankrupt and 50 years since landing their one and only previous European trophy by winning the Cup-winners Cup amid crowd chaos in Barcelona. They can gain some trophy consolation in the Scottish Cup Final at the weekend.

Frankfurt were able to celebrate a second European trophy, some 42 years after winning the Europa League’s predecessor, the UEFA Cup, in 1980.

Injuries ahead of the Seville clash saw Frankfurt without defensive kingpin Martin Hinterregger while Rangers missed striker Alfredo Morelos.

Double save

Both teams made a busy start but it was not until the 11th minute than either goal came under serious pressure. Alan McGregor sprawled protectively at the feet of Daichi Kamada then saved comfortably, high at his left, when Djibril Sow followed up from just outside the penalty box.

Frankfurt, encouraged, stepped up the pace. Dortmund loanee Ansgar Knauff was allowed to dash in from the right wing and unleash a shot which McGregor pushed around his left-hand post. The unmarked Jesper Lindstrom mistimed his shot from the corner and shot wastfully high.

Rangers responded with a neat inter-passing move whcih ended with Joe Aribo being allowed to turn on the ball and shoot inches wide of Trapp’s right hand post.

Frankfurt returned to the attack through Filip Kostic who planted one optimistic snap shot on top of the goal net then staged a one-man counter-attack out of defence but dragged his shot wide across goal.

Penalty appeal

This was an end-to-end phase which saw Trapp brought into action again to tip over the bar a header from John Lundstram to a leftwing free kick.

Frankfurt started the second half at speed. A Lindstrom shot was defected just wide of McGregor’s right-hand post and VAR turned down Frankfurt’s appeals for a penalty after Connor Goldson tumbled into Rafael Borre.

Rangers refused to be intimidated. James Tavernier sliced a warning shot badly wide before, in the 56th minute, the Frankfurt defence fell apart to invite Aribo to stride away from the fallen Tuta and open the scoring.

Frankfurt refused to lie down. A mistake by Goldson conceded an opening which Kamada wasted but then Borre nipped in ahead of the sleepy Rangers central defender to prod home a 69th-minute equaliser from a low left-wing cross.

Now was the time for both managers to bring on substituting reinforcements. Rangers’ Fashion Sakala found space on the left but his low shot was saved comfortably by Trapp. At the other end a fierce left-wing cross from Kostic skidded, untouched, across the face of the Rangers goal.

Two tired teams managed a helter-skelter last few minutes of the extra halfhour including a fine saves by Trapp from Ryan Kent and a Tavernier free kick.

Frankfurt had come through the entire campaign undefeated . . . then superior still when it mattered most, in the decisive shootout.

The teams:

Frankfurt: Trapp – Toure, Tuta (Hasebe 58), Ndicka (Lenz 100) – Knauff, Rode (Jakic 90), Sow (Hrustic 106), Kostic – Lindstrom (Hauge 71), Kamada – Borre.

Rangers: McGregor – Tavernier, Goldson, Bassey, Barisic (Roofe 117) – Jack (Davis 74), Lundstram, Kamara (Arfield 91) – Kent, Aribo (Sands 100), Wright (Sakala 74; Ramsey 117).

Referee: Vincic (Slovenia).

Penalties (Rangers first): Tavernier 1-0, Lenz 1-1; Davies 2-1, Hrustic 2-2; Arfield 3-2, Kamara 3-3; Ramsey saved 3-3, Kostic 3-4; Roofe 4-4, 4-5 Borre.

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