Both teams have won European trophies (one each) in what the current generation of fans calls prehistory. How else can the football of the 70s and 80s of the last century be called without offending the players, coaches and fans of that time? So this final was a great opportunity to reminisce about the past and prepare a place on the trophy shelf for a new trophy.

Both the German and Scottish teams in this draw were remembered for their love of playing the second point on counter attacks and in the empty field. Therefore, only the greatest optimists expected the waste of points, and the thoughts that arose about the inevitable pre-match penalty shootout only began to intensify during the game.

He (game), of course, was fighting. Rode’s bloody T-shirt is already at the start of the game – confirmation of that. However, there was also no rudeness or filth. Teams tried to play football, wrestle but within the rules. In addition, the referee showed that from the beginning of the match he will not call minor fouls, but will give the opportunity to play until the end.

As expected, the German team had a certain advantage. Kamada and Knauff could be dangerous, but the first did not have the courage to leave an advantageous position and the second was not on the right. The issue turned into long-range attacks, which the Scots began to use. But – either higher, or past, or into the hands of the goalkeeper.

The first interesting moment came in the 32nd minute. Kostic rushed the ball from his own to someone else’s court, but missed the far corner. Rangers’ answer is Landström’s title, which Trapp addressed. As the penalty shootout expectation grew stronger, the teams went to rest.

And in the second half of the game, more acute situations arose, but Linnström and Kent lacked accuracy. And by the way, Aribo opened the score – Tuta slipped, rushed to Scottish striker Trapp, clearly outstripping him. The defender immediately paid off – Glasner kicked him out of the game.

Kamada equalized after a similar miss by Goldson, but threw the keeper and scored. But the score was still 1:1 10 minutes after the first goal – Kostic shot from the left, completing his next “assist” of the season, and Borre was ahead of the defenders and restored the status quo from the goalkeeper line.

The outline of the penalty shootout, which faded a little after the first goal, became very clear. On a subconscious level, the teams felt that the fate of the trophy would be determined by a series of post-match blows, no matter how they tried to beat the opponent, their destiny, or themselves. Therefore, the moments that occurred were more likely after inertia or individual errors on the field, which were sufficient – both in regular time and in both extra halves (again, the defender did not do without falling, for example). And the Scots were closer to the win, but in the 118th minute, Kent miraculously failed to score from the goalie line.

At the end of the second overtime, Giovanni van Bronkhorst released fresh Ruf and Aaron Ramsey under penalty shootout. And if the first did not disappoint, the Welsh became an anti-hero, because out of 10 hits only the execution of the sentence was wrong.

5:4 – It’s a holiday in Frankfurt today and football disappointment in Scotland. We hope it will grow even bigger after the match between the local national team and ours on June 1st.

Europa League 2021/2022. End.

Eintracht (Frankfurt am Main, Germany) – Glasgow Rangers (Scotland) – 1:1 (pen. 5:4).

Borre, 69 – Aribo, 56.

Aribo, 62 – Wright, 73.

Penalty series: 0:1 – Tavernier, 1:1 – Lenz, 1:2 – Davis, 2:2 – Khrustic, 2:3 – Arfield, 3:3 – Kamada, 3:3 – Ramsey (goalkeeper), 4: 3 – Kostic, 4:4 – Ruf, 5:4 – Borre.

Eintracht: Trapp – Tuta (Hasebe, 59), Toure, Ndika (Lenz, 101) – Knauff, Sow (Khrustich, 106), Rode (Yakic, 90), Kostic – Linnstrem (Hauge, 71), Borre, Kamada.

Glasgow Rangers: McGregor – Tavernier, Goldson, Bassi, Barisic (Ruf, 117) – Jack (Davis, 74), Landstrom – Kent, Wright (Sakala, 74, Ramsey, 117), Camara (Arfield, 91) – Aribo (Sands, 101) ).

Judge: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia).

Stadium: Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan (Seville, Spain)

EINTRACHT – GLASGOW RANGERS. TEXT BROADCAST OF THE MATCH