FASHION’S RANGERS MISS OUT ON EUROPA LEAGUE CUP
CHIPOLOPOLO striker, Fashion Sakala missed out on a chance to be coming the first Zambian to win the UEFA Europa League Cup after his team Glasgow Rangers suffered a 5-4 penalty shootout de feat to Eintracht Frankfurt following a 1-1 draw in the 2021/2022 UEFA Europa League final played on
Wednesday night at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan in Seville, Spain.
Sakala, who became the second Zambian to play in the Europa League final after leg endary Chipolopolo midfield er, Charles Musonda, came on for Scott Wright in the 74th minute. Despite having strug gled with the first touch on sev eral occasions, the 25-year-old former Zanaco FC striker put in a decent shift and created a few chances which could have given Rangers the win.
However, Rangers coach Giovanni Christiaan Van Bronkhorst withdrew Sakala for former Arsenal midfield er Aaron Ramsey in the 117th minute of extra time.
Sakala's in and out substi tution proved to be the worst mistake when Ramsey who was specifically brought in for penalties missed his spot kick which was directed down the middle where it was blocked by the legs of goalkeeper Kevin Trapp before Rafael Borre con verted the match-winning spot kick and sent the Frankfurt fans who had travelled for the match into a state of delirium.
After a quiet first half where the biggest story was Frankfurt captain Sebastian Rode's early head injury, both teams found the back of the net in the sec ond half to send the match to extra time.
Rangers star Joe Aribo cap italised on a defensive error to score in the 57th minute before Rafael Borre equalised in the 69th minute to force penal ties after a 1-1 draw. Ramsey's missed attempt in the shootout opened the door for Borre's winner.
The former Arsenal mid fielder who had been brought on as Sakala’s replacement specifically for penalty duties. With the Scottish league ti tle wrapped up and scooped by rivals Celtic Glasgow FC, Rangers will now seek to get the only silverware available to them tomorrow when they face Hearts of Midlothian in the fi nal of the Scottish Cup.