TESTED TO THEIR VERY LIMITS
Jags provide stern resistance again but Caixinha’s battlers get the job done in extra time
THEIR place in the semi-finals of the Betfred Cup finally secure, Rangers fans began to relax and enjoy themselves.
Extra-time strikes from Daniel Candeias and substitute Eduardo Herrera quelled Partick Thistle’s resistance when the first chants of ‘one team in Glasgow’ filled the skies over the city’s west end.
One hazardous hurdle negotiated, Pedro Caixinha must now tackle another. For the second time in four days, Alan Archibald’s Thistle proved sturdy opponents.
The likelihood is Celtic will test the confidence of the Rangers support to the maximum in the opening Old Firm game of the season at Ibrox.
With Saturday’s game in mind, Caixinha made changes to his team. Jak Alnwick made a rare start in goals, vindicating his selection with a one-man war of attrition against Conor Sammon, producing a string of fine saves in normal time.
The Englishman’s heroics seemed likely to pay rich dividends when Carlos Pena — the £2.5million summer signing from Mexico — marked his first start for the club with his first goal in Rangers colours early in the second half.
Already, Pena is becoming a cult figure. Yet questions over his fitness linger after he left the field with 19 minutes left. The more concerning loss for Caixinha was veteran defender Bruno Alves five minutes later. Already without Lee Wallace this weekend, the welfare of the Euro 2016 winner is now a source of justified anxiety.
The reaction of Rangers in adversity has been queried repeatedly this season and was always likely to be tested with young Ross McCrorie at the heart of the defence in the closing stages.
They reared up once more when Thistle substitute Kris Doolan took an engrossing tie to extra-time in the final minute of normal time, thumping a Sammon knockdown from Adam Barton’s cross high into the net.
The Ibrox side refused to dwell on the setback and Candeias and Herrera sealed it. Yet Caixinha will reflect on the fact the game should really have been won in normal time. They had the chances.
The night was notable for the failure of Alfredo Morelos to score. The Colombian was the first scorer here on Friday night and favourite to repeat the feat again.
The man nicknamed the Buffalo by Rangers fans was first to bear his horns as the visitors blew the first clear-cut opportunity of the game in 24 minutes. A drilled 20-yard shot was parried as far as Josh Windass by Thistle keeper Ryan Scully. Embroiled in controversy following an obscene hand gesture towards Thistle fans on Friday night, the home support were quick to return the compliment when the Englishman sclaffed a glaring chance aimlessly towards goal.
Thistle were slow to find their feet. The absence of Chris Erskine, suspended following a red card on Friday, forced Alan Archibald to turn to Irish striker Sammon and the former Hearts and Kilmarnock man caused Rangers problems.
From an early stage Partick’s gameplan — to thump raking, long balls towards the shaven head of their towering striker — was clear.
It came close to working twice as Alnwick, a little-seen stand-in for Wes Foderingham, began having a very decent evening.
He denied Thistle twice, firstly in 37 minutes when Blair Spittal sent a long pass towards Sammon. Cutting the ball on to his left foot past a ponderous Fabio Cardoso, a low angled drive was blocked at the near post, the keeper producing an even better save four minutes later to keep out a point-blank save from the striker.
Thistle were inching their way into the game. But looked likely to be blown away in the early exchanges of the second half.
Rangers should have scored in he 54th minute with their clearest chance of the game.
Robbing a ponderous Danny Devine in the Thistle half, Morelos scampered clear, one on one with Scully, nicking the ball inches past the far post. Yet, within two minutes, the visitors were ahead.
It was a meat-and-drink affair. A Candeias corner picked out Pena in the area, the Mexican’s fine header from 12 yards nestling in the corner of the net to a joyous response from the away support.
A failure to add a second goal again proved costly for the Ibrox side. They really should have, and Candeias would redeem himself in extra-time, but wasted an outstanding opportunity to double the lead in 67 minutes.
A terrible slip from Thistle defender Christie Elliot in his own half provided easy pickings for the Portuguese winger to nick the ball and set off for goal. What followed next was the stuff of nightmares. Dragging the ball wide of Scully, Candeias blazed high over the bar in scenes reminiscent of Peter van Vossen.
Mercifully for Rangers, Alnwick was hell-bent on preserving Sammon’s growing frustration at the other end, preventing the equaliser when he threw himself to the left to push a 20-yard curling sidefooted effort away.
Effectively out of the cup, Alan Archibald threw caution to the wind, pushing record scorer Kris Doolan into the fray, encouraged further by the loss of Alves from the Rangers rearguard.
The final minutes always threatened to be nervous for Rangers. Alnwick was at it again seven minutes from the end of normal time, blocking from Devine
Jak Alnwick had a one-man war of attrition with Sammon
with his legs. Doolan blazed the rebound over but did better in the final minutes from Sammon’s knockdown, thrashing an equaliser into the net.
All eyes focused on the Rangers response in extra-time. It was emphatic.
A crisp strike from the edge of the area from Candeias fizzed low past Scully in 94 minutes. Five minutes later Herrera — a replacement for Morelos at the end of normal time — produced a skilled back flick from a driven Candeias cross to fire Rangers into the last four. PARTICK THISTLE (4-5-1): Scully; McGinn, Keown, Turnbull (Doolan 57), Devine; Barton, Edwards, Elliott, Spittal (Nisbet 83), Lawless (Bannigan 105); Sammon. Subs not used: Sneddon, Nitriansky, Nisbet, McCarthy. Booked: Lawless, Elliot. RANGERS (4-2-3-1): Alnwick; Tavernier, John (Hodson 78), Cardoso, Alves (McCrorie 76); Dorrans, Jack; Candeias, Pena (Holt 71), Windass; Morelos (Morelos 90). Subs not used: Foderingham; Gomes, Hodson, Nermane, McCrorie. Booked: Hodson. Man of the match: Ryan Jack. Referee: Steven McLean. Attendance: 7,394.