SEVILLE. What drama! When Rafael Borre hammered the decisive penalty kick in Eintracht Frankfurt’s 5:4 win in the Europa League final against Glasgow Rangers at 11:55 p.m., a piece of Austrian football history was also perfect. Since yesterday, Oliver Glasner has been the first Upper Austrian to win a European Cup – and the only Austrian coach after Ernst Happel who last won the European Cup in 1983. While all the dams broke in Seville, Riedauer remained almost stoically calm in the second of the triumph – and immediately shook the hand of his opponent, Rangers trainer Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Afterwards he only said: “It’s unbelievable. I have no words – and that doesn’t happen very often.”
Relaxation up to the last second before kick-off – Oliver Glasner pulled that off yesterday on the day of the game. Some good news that was sent to Seville in the afternoon was answered immediately.
It was really hot in the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, which was completely sold out with 44,000 spectators – and not just because of the 32 degrees Celsius on the pitch. Goosebumps reigned again in the afternoon when a nearly two-minute video of Frankfurt’s route to the final was shown during the meeting, which culminated in the triumph over the great FC Barcelona.
And Glasner’s plan seemed to work from the first minute. There was no sign of nervousness at Eintracht Frankfurt. The Hessians took over the game from the first minute. Stopped only by a five minute stoppage when Sebastian Rode was hit in the forehead with the cleat by Glasgow’s John Lundstram and his bleeding wound required lengthy treatment.
Bitter restart
After the break it got really bitter at first. With the Brazilian Tuta, Martin Hinteregger’s substitute stumbled over his own legs before the 0:1. Glasgow Rangers striker Joe Aribo, who hadn’t scored a single goal this Europa League season up to that point, capitalized on the mistake – and gave Rangers the lead. Tuta then had to be replaced injured (57th). But Eintracht Frankfurt quickly found the right answer after a few minutes of shock. After a Kostic cross from the left, Rafael Borre tipped the ball into the goal from a few meters to make it 1-1 (69′). He saved Eintracht well-deservedly in extra time.
Goalkeeper Kevin Trapp saved with an insane act against Ron Kent, who fired the shot after a Stangl pass from five meters away (118th). In the penalty shootout, Juventus loanee Aaron Ramsey, who came on after 117 minutes, missed the only penalty.
And so the Frankfurters could write European Cup history with the Upper Austrians Oliver Glasner, Michael Angerschmid and Ronny Brunmayr a few minutes later – and be speechless after the triumph.
Source: Nachrichten
