Europa League: Eintracht Frankfurt is crowned the winner of the Europa League

2nd title after 1980

Eintracht Frankfurt is the 2022 Europa League winner. The SBU beat Glasgow Rangers 6-5 on penalties in the final on Wednesday evening and triumphed for the second time since 1980 in this competition, which was then called the UEFA Cup. Coach Oliver Glasner’s team initially had to absorb a goal from Joe Aribo (57′) before Rafael Borré (69′) equalised. In the decision from the point, goalkeeper Kevin Trapp became heroes with a saved attempt by Aaron Ramsey and Borré, who was accurate again.

Thanks to the title, the “Adlerträger” are moving into the Champions League for the first time, where they will be in pot one in the group stage draw. In addition, a duel with the future winner of the “premier class” awaits in the European Supercup. Rangers made it to a European final for the first time since 2008, losing 2-0 to Zenit St. Petersburg in the UEFA Cup. On the way to the final, the Scottish record champions proved to be a terror to Germany and initially knocked out Borussia Dortmund in the second round before RB Leipzig followed in the semifinals. Frankfurt ended this series.

On Thursday, the big victory party is supposed to take place at home at the Frankfurt Römer reception. Led by captain Sebastian Rode, who played with a blue turban after a head injury, the team is now on a par with the 1980 UEFA Cup winners around Karl-Heinz Körbel and Jürgen Grabowski, who died this year.

The atmosphere at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán was crazy right from the start. The Eintracht fans welcomed their team with another impressive choreography, in the streets and on the squares of the Andalusian metropolis, thousands of supporters of both clubs watched the final without a ticket.

And the Hessians started the game with great commitment. With a lot of risk and sharp passes, Eintracht repeatedly played their way into the Rangers penalty area – but had to survive a moment of shock in the fifth minute. After a foul by John Lundstram on the head, Rode lay bleeding on the pitch and was treated for several minutes. The Brit hit the Eintracht professional with the cleat on the forehead.

Daichi Kamada had the first half chance, but after a short solo he didn’t finish. Glasgow’s 40-year-old goalkeeper Allan McGregor easily caught Djibril Sow’s subsequent shot (12′). When Ansgar Knauff tried with his left foot, McGegor had more trouble (20′). Eintracht was much closer to the lead, at least in the first half hour, and Filip Kostic seemed to be able to do better on the counterattack (32nd).

Glasner kept calling out instructions in the blue polo shirt. The Austrian, who came from Wolfsburg before the season, had to do without the injured defender Martin Hinteregger, while Jesper Lindström got fit in time. The Dane, whose deflected shot went just wide at the beginning of the second half (49′), together with Kamada and Borré, caused unrest in the initially steadfast Rangers defence.

The Scottish runners-up only got close to the goal of German national goalkeeper Kevin Trapp through Aribo, but the 25-year-old’s shot went just wide (26′). When Lundstram headed the ball, Trapp had to stretch to steer the ball over the crossbar (36′). Eintracht could not afford to make mistakes – the Rangers got better and better.

Eintracht’s third international final after 1960 and 1980 became increasingly exciting. In the second half, both teams played towards their own fan blocks. In Frankfurt, more than 50,000 supporters trembled at the public viewing in the Eintracht Arena. Especially when Aribo came free in front of Trapp after a chain of errors in the Frankfurt defense of Sow and Tuta and scored. Tuta was injured and was replaced by Makoto Hasebe.

With the final phase in mind, it was Kamada who had a great chance to equalize, but the Japanese’s lob not only went over McGregor, but also over the goal (67′). Borré did better in the penalty area after a sharp cross – the game was back and remained open. Kostic’s attempt went just wide (89 ‘), then it went into exhausting extra time, in which Trapp secured the penalty shoot-out with two strong saves shortly before the end.

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