Rafael Borré stood alone in front of a sea of blue. All that and it came to this. One shot to secure Eintracht Frankfurt’s first European trophy in 42 years. The forward ran up and struck the ball into the net, beyond Allan McGregor, to win a dramatic penalty shootout and send the supporters in white at the other end of the ground wild. Rangers’ fans meanwhile, fell silent for the first time: 50 years they had waited for a European trophy; who knows how much longer they will have to wait for another chance.
A 1-1 draw, a glorious 118th-minute chance, saved by Kevin Trapp, and it had gone to penalties. Aaron Ramsey had been sent on to take one, only to watch it saved by the Eintracht keeper. It had been a crazy ride, and now it was over in the cruellest way. So close, but defeated at the last. A long, hot, wild evening finally turning away from them.
