sport news Rangers shouldn't have been in Europa League final but wait to get close again ... trends now
It is 50 years since Rangers last won a European trophy. And who knows how long they will have to wait to get this close to another.
Eintracht Frankfurt were the winners after a penalty shootout in which Aaron Ramsay - brought to Ibrox for big moments such as this - was the villain, missing their fourth spot-kick to give the Germans the advantage.
The chance to be a hero fell to Rafael Borre and the Colombian lashed into the top corner. Nerves? No way.
Rangers' 50-year wait for a European trophy continued as Eintracht Frankfurt beat them in a penalty shootout in the Europa League final in Seville on Wednesday
Frankfurt shotstoper Kevin Trapp (left) saved Aaron Ramsey's (right) spotkick
Rafael Borre (right) stepped up to be the hero as he calmly slotted away the winning penalty
Rangers thought they had won it with one minute of extra-time to play when Ryan Kent strode onto Kemar Roofe’s cross. Somehow, though, goalkeeper Kevin Trapp found a leg to block the close-range blast. He was soon doing the same to deny Ramsay.
The Gers had taken the lead through Joe Aribo and, for a brief period, they dared to dream of lifting the trophy, and with it qualification for the Champions League. Not that next season was on the minds of the 11 on the pitch or their 100,000 supporters in Seville.
This was all about the glory of the night, and the chance to make history half a decade on from their Cup Winners’ Cup triumph 500 miles north in Barcelona.
Joe Aribo (right) broke the deadlock as he slotted past Kevin Trapp (unseen) in the 56th minute
Rangers should not have been here, really. Not if club revenue is taken as yardstick by which to measure expected progress. Regardless of the outcome, this was already an historic achievement for Giovanni van Bronckhorst and his side.
And, in the 57th minute, they planted one sweaty palm on the prize. Amid the heat and humidity, Aribo was the coolest man inside the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium when seizing on a slip by defender Tuta and skipping clear on goal.
Given the 25-year-old spent the early part of his career as a League One midfielder, and to find himself in this position as a makeshift striker in a major European final, it would have been understandable had he fluffed his lines on such a grand stage. No chance.
Aribo took one look at the target and did not complicate matters, rolling low beyond Kevin Trapp to give Rangers a lead they had barely deserved.
The midfielder raced through on goal after Frankfurt defender Tuta (right) slipped
As if irked by the seeming injustice, Frankfurt wasted little time in setting after an equaliser. The only surprise was that it took another 12 minutes to arrive.
Filip Kostic had been a threat all evening and he
