Rafael Santos Borré was crowned champion of the Europa League with his team, Eintracht Frankfurt, by beating Scotland’s Rangers on penalties, who did not have Alfredo Morelos due to injury, in the final played this Wednesday in Seville.
Rangers went ahead with a goal from Nigerian Joe Aribo (57), but Colombian Rafael Santos Borré equalized with a point-blank shot (69), before reaching penalties, where Welshman Aaron Ramsey’s mistake gave victory to the Germans.
All the Eintracht shooters scored their penalty to reach a historic victory, which allows the Germans to lift the second continental trophy in their history. Eintracht had not won a trophy in Europe since winning the UEFA Cup in 1980 against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
German rule
Rangers, who managed to get rid of Borussia Dortmund and Leipzig, could not repeat the feat with Eintracht in a game that had to wait for the second half to get excited. After an even first half, Aribo took advantage of an error by the Eintracht defense, escaped from Tuta and planted himself in front of Kevin Trapp to release a shot that slipped close to the post (57).
The goal fell like a bucket of cold water among the German fans, but served to encourage the match with Eintracht going for a draw. The German team was able to tie in a good lob from the Japanese Daichi Kamada who went high by a little (67). But, just two minutes later, Borré appeared between two rival centre-backs to finish off a cross from the left by Serbian Filip Kostic on goal to make it 1-1 on the scoreboard (69).
The tie encouraged Eintracht who began to put Rangers in their field, condemned to seek the opposite goal with long balls and counterattacks. But neither of the two would manage to unbalance again, sending the game to extra time, where there were no more goals, resolving the final on penalties.
AFP