STEEL DEAL
IT was job done for Rangers in England’s Steel City ahead of the serious business of their Premiership opener against the Steelmen.
Josh Windass and Kenny Miller struck either side of half-time to give Pedro Caixinha’s side an impressive win over Sheffield Wednesday.
The Light Blues now look like a team who have put their Euro shocker against Progres Niederkorn behind them and are ready for their domestic kick-off against Motherwell on Sunday.
Following defeat in Luxembourg, Gers fans were heading into the new season with fear but suddenly there is a bit of optimism.
That has come from the arrival of some new faces, a more solid formation deployed by Caixinha that seems to suit his players and a couple of decent results.
Gers are undefeated in three of their last four pre-season friendly games with this the second win of a double-header south of the border following a 2-1 success against Watford.
The Euro shocker will never be completely forgotten but the Ibrox side have at least learned and moved on from it.
The performance of Windass – a player who looked to be on the way out – in particular was a real plus for Caixinha.
Bruno Alves and Fabio Cardoso continue to form a solid central defensive pairing, the same goes for Ryan Jack and Graham Dorrans in the middle of the park, and Daniel Candeias is a good addition. But the real tests come on Sunday lunchtime when Rangers make the short trip to Lanarkshire for the big kick-off and then the visit of wanted a word over a rash challenge on Adam Reach.
But the Portuguese winger made amends when he played a part in the opener just before the break.
Candeias picked out Jack who threaded a through ball for Windass and he slotted a tidy finish under Keiren Westwood.
The former Accrington man celebrated in front of the huge Gers following with some fans setting off flares while a smoke bomb was tossed on to the pitch.
But it was no more than the visitors deserved, albeit clear-cut chances had been few and far between.
Yet the Owls could have levelled before the break when skipper Tom Lees had a header saved by Wes Foderingham.
The Rangers keeper then made a brilliant point-blank stop from Rhodes at the start of the second half before the visitors quickly doubled their advantage.
Lee Wallace made a bursting run down the left and the Sheffield Wednesday defence failed to deal with it.
The ball fell nicely for Miller who let it bounce before smashing it into the net, leaving Westwood with no chance.
Wallace then went close to a third for Gers but his shot was saved by Westwood who injured himself in the process and was replaced by Joe Wildsmith.
With the win secured and Sheffield Wednesday struggling to threaten, the pace of the game dropped to a typical pre-season friendly.
But Caixinha will now be hoping his side can reproduce their best from this game and get off to a Premiership flier.
RANGERS: Foderingham 6, Hodson 5, Alves 7, Cardoso 7, Wallace 6, Jack 7, Dorrans 7 (Holt 90, 1), Candeias 7 (Waghorn 88, 2), Windass 8 (Kranjcar 73, 4), Miller 6 (Wilson 85, 2), Herrera 5 (Morelos 79, 3). Not used: Alnwick, Bates, Pena, Dalcio.