3R’s Relentless Resilient.. RANGERS
Gers find the answers and pass Euro test
THEY’VE been relentless this season, Rangers.
Last night they settled for resilient.
Let’s face it, they found themselves second best in a first half that belonged to Standard Liege, who twice took the lead and looked like the only team this season to have found a way to nullify their system.
Yet Steven Gerrard’s men still found a way to go up the tunnel level at half-time.
And by the end of a rollercoaster 90 minutes, they’d worked out a way to win and book their place in the last 32 of the Europa League for the second season in a row.
They’ve played better, far better, this season. But this, strangely, was as impressive as any of their previous 23 games without defeat in this so far unbeaten season.
Standard posed them serious questions, baffled them at times, yet still answers were found and the result was earned.
Liege arrived in Glasgow in search of the win they needed to stay alive, they knew they’d have to do what no other side has managed in 23 attempts this term.
They couldn’t but they gave it a right good go.
There was enough spite and bad feeling at the end of the waterlogged encounter in Belgium on match night one to suggest that Standard weren’t going to simply roll over and accept their fate.
They wanted this badly but for them to succeed they’d have to score and that mission was accomplished after only six minutes.
It was so unexpected that Rangers looked stunned by the simplicity of the breach – a long diagonal from right to left, a quick pass to
Croatian wide man Duje Cop, who had space to deliver low into the six yard box whe re Maxime Lestienne pounced to give Allan McGregor no chance.
Gerrard’s side weren’t used to conceding, not after 18 clean sheets this term, but the goal didn’t shake the home side out of their early lethargy.
James Tavernier and Borna
Barisic were being kept in check by the Belgian wing backs in their 3- 4- 3 formation and major questions were being asked of the Scots.
It had been so long since Rangers hadn’t had it their own way, that they struggled to cope with it.
Even when they levelled through Connor Goldson, five minutes from the break,
Rangers still weren’t on it fully and within 46 seconds of equalising they were behind again after switching off at a free-kick and allowing Cop to score.
The winger flew into the post, catching him in the privates but it really was a boot in the b***s for Rangers.
They took a deep breath, though, hurtled up the other end and when Kemar Roofe’s shot hit Lestienne’s hand, the ref pointed to the spot.
Tavernier did what he does to score his 15th of the season and restore parity before Gerrard could get his team in the dressing room to address their shortcomings.
And there had been some. This was not a vintage show but there was resilience in abundance.
Liege’s desire wasn’t diffused by the loss of the penalty, though, and they came out in the second half asking even more questions of the hosts. Rangers had the history-maker McGregor to thank for a fine save from the excellent Abdul Tapshoba to keep them level.
Up until then it certainly wasn’t the record-breaking appearance night, his 83rd in Europe, that McGregor had been hoping for.
But when Rangers suddenly clicked just after the hour, McGregor and his mates were feeling a whole lot better. Scott Arfield slotted a superb winner after great work from Ryan Kent and finally, Liege were broken.
In the end, it could have been a greater margin of victory but 3-2 was enough.