Like last year, the 2022 Europa League final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers was decided tonight (Wednesday) in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw at the end of 120 minutes.
It took 22 penalties to separate Villarreal from Manchester United, but this time only ten were enough.
After Sharon Ramsey, who came on in the 117th minute to kick one of the penalties and was stopped by Kevin Trapp, Rafael Santos Bora went up and sent his kick inside.
The Colombian gave Frankfurt a 4-5 victory and especially a first European title in 42 years that gave the signal for the celebrations of the tens of thousands of amazing fans who made their way from Germany.
Bora celebrates equality, Photo: Reuters
Aribo celebrates, Photo: Reuters
From the first moment the atmosphere at Ramon Sanchez Pijuan in Seville was unique.
Both clubs had a fanatical fan base that was also hungry for European success - Frankfurt recently won the 1980 UEFA Cup and Rangers Cup Winners' Cup in 1972 - which led to tens of thousands arriving in Spain determined to return with the title. Fans in the city streets who ended up with some injured and detained, but inside the stadium they provided a wonderful atmosphere - half in white by the Germans, half in blue by the Scots.
With a set like this, the game could not have disappointed.
The two coaches - Alber Glasner on the side of Frankfurt and Joe van Bronckhorst on the side of the Rangers, came up with strong lineups and an offensive and open approach and in the first half it seemed more suited to the Germans.
The young Ansgner Knauf and Wisper Lindstrom were very active, but the Scottish defense and 40-year-old goalkeeper Alan McGregor got on with all the attempts and the half ended 0-0.
Rangers Celebrate the Advantage, Photo: AP
Bora celebrates equality,
In the opening of the second, and with the German crowd pushing and cheering, Frankfurt again seemed to be close to conquering first.
Since that did not happen, the gate came on the other side.
A mistake by the Tota stopper in the 57th minute allowed Joe Aribo to get in front of Kevin Trapp and the Nigerian wheeled in for the first time.
The Scottish crowd cheered, but Frankfurt has one of the best knockout players in the world.
Raffle Santos Bora, who scored in 2018, 2019, and 2020 ten goals in the Copa Libertadores knockout with River Plate and this season scored in the quarter-final against Barcelona and in the semi-final against West Ham, did it again in the 69th minute when he first reached a wide ball from Philip Kostic and set 1 :1.
In overtime Rangers got to the best position, but Kevin Trapp stopped Ryan Kent and determined that this final would also go to a decision from the penalty spot.
Rangers, who passed Borussia Dortmund and RB on their way to the final.
Leipzig dreamed of completing another victory over a German rival, but in the penalty shootout Frankfurt was perfect while Ramsey was the only one not to score.
The Germans, who finished first at home early and in the knockout stage overcame Betis, Sevilla and West Ham, are celebrating a justified European title win and becoming the first German team since Elka in 1997 to win the Europa League / UEFA Cup.
Rangers Celebrate the Advantage, Photo: AP
Many Eintracht Frankfurt players with the referee,
1: 1 at the end of 90 minutes, Photo: AP
1: 1 at the end of 90 minutes, Photo: AP
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