ROCKIN’ ROLLOVER
Old school thrill ride has Ibrox jumping as Gers top the pile with a show of sheer power
THIS was eight years in the making. In fact, there must have been times when many of those who packed Ibrox to the rafters and shook the place to its core would have feared they’d never again enjoy a night like this.
A European group stage game under the lights. Going behind, fighting back and, just when victory appeared to be eluding them, a perfect penalty to spark the mother and father of all celebrations.
Then another goal at the death, just to set the seal on a night that ended with Steven Gerrard’s men top of their group. One team was Rapid. The other relentless.
And relentlessness won out as Rangers made it 10 European ties undefeated under the Englishman.
The manager shuffled his pack slightly after a disappointing display in defeat at Livingston.
Jon Flanagan came in for Borna Barisic at left-back and further forward Kyle Lafferty made way for the pace of Ryan Kent.
It was a big night for Rapid’s new boss Dietmar Kuhbauer in his first game in charge but this was no less an occasion for the locals.
Their first home group stage match in Europe since Manchester United came calling and left with three Champions League points thanks to a late Wayne Rooney penalty. And Ibrox was bouncing.
The Austrians might be struggling domestically but they arrived with three points in the Europa League bank and served early notice they weren’t content to sit back.
Two corners in the first two minutes put paid to that idea, although Rangers coped comfortably.
There was no early standing off and sizing each other up. Right from the start the tempo was high and the challenges high octane.
Scott Arfield won one thundering tackle that almost lifted the roof off and the Viennese were willing to give the rough stuff a whirl when required.
Connor Goldson found that out to his cost when Veton Berisha clattered him and went into the ref ’s book.
For all the early huffing and puffing, neither keeper had a save to make in the first 20 minutes and, as the home team, Rangers would have been hoping for better.
Then again, in the 21st minute it could have been worse. A lightning break and a superb cross from Marvin Potzmann found Andrija Pavlovic timing his run into the box perfectly.
His header flashed just wide of Allan McGregor’s left-hand post and a sigh of relief swept round Ibrox.
At the other end Rangers finally fashioned a real opportunity that ended with a superb piece of defending by Mateo Barac.
He was left with blood pouring from a cut head after clashing with Morelos as the Colombian looked set to nod Kent’s cross into the net.
The collision was accidental but serious enough for Barac to go off. It didn’t upset Rapid unduly. Three minutes before the break, they struck on the counter attack.
Playmaker Thomas Murg released Andrei Ivan in behind Flanagan and when the cross came in Lassana Coulibaly slid in to nick the ball away from Pavlovic. He only succeeded in diverting it to Berisha however and a low shot was planted past McGregor.
It was a sore one for Rangers and they were also nursing a sense of
injustice as replays had shown Ivan was clearly offside in the build-up.
Not that McGregor needed the telly as he was booked for complaining about it in the immediate aftermath. Gers needed a quick response and got it within 60 seconds.
Kent picked up the ball and found James Tavernier raiding down the right. The captain’s low cross evaded diving keeper Richard Strebinger but not Morelos, who slid in to score. The Ibrox side started far livelier after the break with Daniel Candeias more prepared to take on his full-back.
Kent was doing the same on the other side and a darting run past Ivan in the 50th minute saw him wiped out and the Austrian yellow-carded.
Mert Muldur was next to be cautioned for hauling down Kent. The momentum was swinging towards Gers but the final piece of quality remained elusive.
The entire stadium thought they’d found it in 68 minutes. Tavernier’s cross was met by Ovie Ejaria’s stunning header – only for Strebinger to pull off a sensational save. It was
all Rangers now. Rapid looked happy to protect what they had as Kuhbauer shut up shop.
Even if their rough-house tactics were infuriating the crowd – and Gerrard, who had rarely been more animated on the touchline – they were keeping Gers at bay.
Until seven minutes from time, and it was a piece of genuine piece quality that finally did unlock the Rapid defence. Ejaria’s delicately slipped ball to Morelos inside the box was sensational and, as the striker moved onto it, he was taken out by Mario Sonnleitner.
Referee Ruddy Buquet had to
point to the spot and Tavernier stepped up to make an immaculate job from 12 yards.
The place went nuts. The Rangers fans weren’t going to celebrate quietly – and their team weren’t finished.
Deep in injury time, with Vienna pushing forward, Candeias won the ball on halfway line then produced a brilliant backheel into the path of Morelos, who ran half the length of the pitch, drew the keeper and slid it under him.
This time it was over. And when the dust settled, Rangers sat top of Group G. Heady days indeed.