NEW AGE SAVED BY AN OLD HAND
Miller rides to Rangers’ rescue on Euro return
IT IS a good job, from Pedro Caixinha’s perspective, that not every first impression is necessarily an accurate depiction of reality. There is every chance that, come next Tuesday evening in Luxembourg, the Portuguese’s new-look Rangers side will look sharp, purposeful and dynamic. If they do so, they will be everything they were not here.
On the night when European football returned to Ibrox for the first time in almost six years, the expectation was that the job would be done with something to spare.
Yet even allowing for the ring-rust that inevitably still lingers in the early competitive engagements, Rangers fell significantly short of their star billing.
As hardy and organised as little Progres Niederkorn were, Rangers’ inability to carve them open was striking.
Although a one-goal advantage coupled with another week’s hard training should yet be enough for the Ibrox club to progress, they will need to quickly crunch through the gears if their interest in the Europa League is to be extended much longer.
Caixinha can only be thankful for Kenny Miller’s ability to defy the passing of time. Yet again, the 37-year-old proved utterly invaluable to the club he has served so well for so long by producing an opportunist goal.
By the end of a hugely uninspiring evening, however, it was Niederkorn taking the applause of the home fans. They returned home last night not so much licking their wounds as licking their lips for what may lie in store next week. Quite simply, Rangers must do a whole lot better.
Not since August 2011 had Ibrox played host to such an event. On that occasion, a score draw with Maribor saw Ally McCoist’s men bow out at the play-off round of the Europa League on aggregate.
The cast list from that night was certainly stellar: Nikica Jelavic, Maurice Edu and Allan McGregor. Steve Davis and the unlikely goalscorer Carlos Bocanegra. A reminder of how things used to be. Almost six years on, Lee Wallace was the sole survivor.
The intervening years had been a kaleidoscope of chaos, confusion and comedy.
Craig Whyte and Charles Green. Mike Ashley and the Easdale brothers. The Dallas Cowboys. Trialists from India. The infamous ‘winter of discount tent’ General Meeting. Fran Sandaza. The Newcastle Five.
Myriad other absurdities that could be safely filed under the category of ‘you simply couldn’t make it up’.
After more false dawns than anyone would care to remember, this — at long last — felt like the night when the club belatedly resembled its old self.
Sold out three days ago, the anticipation among the Rangers support was palpable. As the teams emerged, you wondered if the decibel levels would have been any higher had Barcelona or Juventus been in town.
Progres Niederkorn, accustomed to playing in front of gates scarcely in four figures in Luxembourg, must have wondered exactly what they had walked into.
Those among the Light Blue legions anticipating difficulty in putting names to faces need not have worried. Only three of Caixinha’s eight signings started. Fabio Cardoso took his place at centre-half beside David Bates. Dalcio, his fellow Portuguese, played in advance of Wallace on the left with Ryan Jack anchoring the midfield with Jason Holt.
Daniel Candeias and Alfredo Morelos were deemed fit enough only for the bench.
The early chatter in the packed stands, however, centred on a figure that had almost been forgotten. Looking distinctly trimmer than in his few unremarkable excursions early last season, Niko Kranjcar was elusive and effective.
The Croatian came closest to gifting Caixinha the nerve-settling lead he craved inside 15 minutes with a strike from the edge of the box that rose at the last.
If his failure to hit the target on that occasion was forgivable, the same did not apply to his second look at goal. Ghosting on to James Tavernier’s deep cross, he only needed to head down to convert. Somehow, he found the stand.
Those believing the fourth-best side in Luxembourg would be little more than cannon fodder were misguided.
Although Niederkorn offered next to nothing in an attacking sense, they were by no means cut open at will.
As the half hour came up, Kranjcar’s chances aside, Caixinha could only count a blocked Jack shot and a Bates mis-hit from six yards as sources of encouragement.
No sooner were the first rumbles of discontent audible, though, than the breakthrough arrived.
It was a textbook lesson in the need for quick-thinking. Progres’ Alexis Lafon stopped just short of picking up a diagonal cross and was correctly penalised.
As the minnows meandered back into their positions, Kranjcar seized the initiative. Spotting Miller demanding the quick pass no one in yellow was ready for, the Croat sent the Scot clear on goal.
You’d bet your life on the veteran in such high-pressure scenarios these days and he did not disappoint, finding the far corner with a clinical finish.
Kranjcar seemed to be at the heart of everything. He forced Progres keeper Sebastian Flauss into a smart save after being teed up by Dalcio, then his corner allowed Cardoso to work the custodian with a header. But the capacity crowd had to settle for a one goal-lead at the interval.
All hope of rendering the
second leg a formality hinged on a rapid start to the second half. Miller ought to have claimed his and his side’s second after running on to Holt’s cutback but got his angles all wrong.
The need for vigilance was underscored by Bates’ momentary lapse while defending a routine free-kick. Caught the wrong side of Alexander Karapetian, the defender needed Wes Foderingham to help him out after the Armenian unleashed a decent strike.
As the energy left Kranjcar’s legs, Caixinha introduced the lesserspotted Jordan Rossiter for his first appearance since August.
Alfredo Morelos was afforded his debut with 14 minutes left, with the ineffective Martyn Waghorn replaced.
But the game rather petered out. Bates had a looping header kicked off the line in stoppage time but frankly it would have been harsh on the minnows. There is much work to do next week.