TWO DOWN AND OUT FOR RANGERS
Dismissals prove too costly as Gerrard’s side taste first European defeat of season
Rangers Slavia Prague
Slavia Prague win 3-1 on aggregate
K0 2
EMAR Roofe’s sensational goal from just inside his own half against Standard Liege in Belgium back in October has been the undoubted highlight of Rangers’ involvement in the Europa League this season.
His unfortunate contribution to the second leg of the last 16 double header with Slavia Prague at Ibrox last night, though, was unquestionably the nadir.
Steven Gerrard’s side were up against it when Roofe took to the field early in the secondhalf. They were trailing 1-0 on the night and 2-1 on aggregate. He was thrown on strengthen the attack, supply a spark in the final third and help to level the match.
However, the former Leeds United and Anderlecht forward lasted just six minutes on the park before being ordered off for kicking Slavia keeper Ondrej Kolar in the head as he challenged for an aerial ball in the visitors’ penalty box.
His early exit effectively ended the newly-crowned Scottish champions’ chances of hauling themselves back into proceedings and booking a place in the quarter-finals.
When his team-mate Leon Balogun was sent off for a second bookable offence soon after – the centre half fouled Lukas Masopust inside the Rangers half – there was only going to be one outcome.
Sure enough, Nicolae Stanciu, the Romanian playmaker, stepped forward and curled a sublime free-kick over the defensive wall and beyond Allan McGregor to send Slavia into the last eight.
Rangers, who had been unbeaten at Ibrox this season, will have to content themselves with their first Premiership title in 10 years and possibly the Scottish Cup this term.
Slavia coach Jindrich Trpisovsky switched from the 4-3-3- formation he had used in the first match in the Eden Arena seven days earlier to a more attacking 3-5-2 lineup and also made a couple of surprising selections. But his changes clearly had the desired impact.
Oscar Dorley, the Liberian midfielder who normally starts on the bench for the Czech champions, was given the nod while Jakub Hromada, who had done well against Leicester away in the previous round, was preferred to Tomas Holes up front. Elsewhere, Simon Deli was drafted in for the suspended David Zima at centre half.
Gerrard left Ianis Hagi out, pushed Joe Aribo forward alongside Alfredo Morelos and brought in Scott Arfield in the midfield three. Elsewhere, Balogun started at centre half instead of Filip Helander.
The defender did well to clear a delivery from Stanciu, who had given the visitors an early lead in the first leg, into his six yard box for a corner in just the seventh minute. It was an early indication of what was to come.
Slavia took the lead, and edged ahead on aggregate, just seven minutes later with their captain Jan Boril, who should perhaps have been closed down sooner by Arfield, broke down the left flank and whipped in a cross. Peter Olayinka got in front of Connor Goldson and headed powerfully beyond McGregor.
Rangers responded well to falling behind. Ryan Kent forced a save from Kolar with a long-range-attempt, Morelos headed over after getting on the end of a Borna Barisic cross and then went close with an effort from outside the penalty box.
No quarter was given by either team and Balogun, Dorley and Glen Kamara all picked up yellow cards from the Israeli match official Orel Grinfeeld. Midfielder Kamara was ruled out of the next round when he was cautioned for a foul on Alexander Bah shortly before half-time. Not that it ultimately mattered.
Balogun appeared fortunate not to concede a penalty kick in a rare Slavia attack in added-on time at the end of the first-half. Abdallah Sima got on the wrong side of him inside his area and went to ground. But VAR is in use in the knockout rounds of the competition and no action was taken.
Slavia showed why they have overcome the likes of Sevilla, Zenit St Petersburg, Bayer Leverkusen, Nice in continental competition in
the past few seasons in the opening 45 minutes.
They are well organised, hard-working and give sides no time on the ball.
Gerrard had to do something and he made a change after just nine minutes of the second-half when he removed Arfield and put on Roofe.
It was a positive move. He switched, as he had done in the latter stages of the first encounter, with to a midfield diamond and a two man strikeforce.
But disaster struck just six minutes later. Goldson played a long diagonal ball into the Slavia area and Kolar came rushing off his line to claim it. Roofe jumped to get a touch and kicked him straight in the face. The referee had no hesitation showing him a straight red.
It wasn’t a malicious
EUROPA LEAGUE: ROUND OF 16 challenge. But the striker could have no complaints about his punishment.
The goalkeeper required four minutes of treatment from medical staff before being wheeled off on a stretcher. He was replaced by Matyas Vagner.
Nathan Patterson, the young Rangers right back, burst upfield and shot just over in the 67th minute. But Rangers’ fate was sealed six minutes later when his side was reduced to nine men with Balogun’s dismissal and Stanciu’s goal.
An often bad-tempered game ended in ugly scenes as both sets of players squared up to each other.
It was an unfortunate way for the Glasgow outfit’s memorable European campaign to finish.