COOL, CALM AND COLLECTED
Tavernier leads from front as Ibrox stars look to beat Euro jinx
COOLNESS when under pressure can be a priceless commodity. And certainly worth more than what West Bromwich Albion were prepared to pay for James Tavernier.
Twenty-four hours after the Rangers captain was the subject of a rejected £2million bid from the English Championship club, he stepped up to again show his value in a moment that matters.
Another flawless penalty conversion — his third already this season — proved a pivotal moment in assembling a precious first-leg lead for Steven Gerrard’s men in this absorbing Europa League third qualifying round tie.
In doing so, the right-back crowned an impressive personal display and increased hope of ending the curse Maribor have held over Scottish opponents.
Four times in the last eight years the Slovenians have come out on top in European ties, with Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen and Hibs all falling to their sword.
The odds on a fifth straight victim began to tumble when Mitja Viler’s sensational finish cancelled out Alfredo Morelos’ early opener to give a resurgent Maribor half-time parity.
Rangers, though, responded strongly to Gerrard’s interval instructions to produce a superb second half. More aggressive all over the pitch, they were back in front when Morelos won the spot-kick tucked away by Tavernier.
From then, the Ibrox side looked the team in command. A late, third goal from Lassana Coulibaly doubled the advantage ahead of next Thursday’s second leg.
What an opportunity they now have. There were more than enough signs of quality from Darko Milanic’s men here to still promise a testing examination in the picturesque Slovenian town. Maribor’s away goal will be an obvious source of belief.
Rangers, though, can harbour plenty confidence of their own. Unbeaten in the opening six games of Gerrard’s reign, the Liverpool icon is building a team that looks tougher than any of those to call this ground their home in recent years.
A place in the Europa League play-offs against either Russian side Ufa or Progres Niederkorn, who need no introduction to Ibrox fans, would be a significant staging post for Gerrard’s new regime.
Rangers had been occupied in other ways prior to kick-off. The 5pm transfer deadline in England provoked outgoings as Gerrard’s squad revamp continued.
Declan John — who had slid well down the full-back pecking order — was sold to Swansea City in a deal worth up to £800,000. Then Wigan trumped long-standing interest from Ipswich Town in Josh Windass to tie up a £2.5m transfer of the 24-year-old.
Tavernier was, however, still present to lead out the Ibrox side — and the club’s media team could be counted among those relieved by that stance. They had given pride of place on the front of last night’s match programme to an image of him gazing lovingly at his armband.
Five minutes in and the focus of the right-back’s admiration had switched to his attacking colleagues. A perfect start for Rangers was delivered thanks to a prime example of the highenergy, high-pressing mindset Gerrard is determined to instil.
Scott Arfield led the hunt. Driving forward from midfield to hound Marko Suler, he dispossessed the Maribor centreback and fed Ryan Kent just inside the penalty area. Cutting on to his right foot, he curled in a testing effort that had Jasmin Handanovic at full stretch to repel it.
Not that the goalkeeper gained any reward for his athleticism. With Morelos quicker off his mark than any of his defenders, Handanovic looked up to see the Colombian knock in from close range and send a surge of noise through Ibrox.
Morelos milked his moment. A lengthy celebration in front of the Broomloan Road stand perhaps spoke of the lingering frustration from last Sunday’s red card against Aberdeen, which an SFA panel downgraded to a booking earlier this week.
Ryan Jack was another who hadn’t seen out the 90 minutes at Pittodrie. The head knock he sustained there meant no place for a midfielder who had started the season in outstanding form.
Coulibaly provided aggression in front of the back four, yet Jack’s sense of positioning and control was still a significant loss. Rangers looked increasingly stretched as Maribor recovered from their early setback.
Aleks Pihler’s strike that forced Allan McGregor to shovel behind for a corner was the first sign of a growing confidence. An even better save followed from the Ibrox veteran to deny Amir Derisevic after 21 minutes, with Tavernier springing into a tackle to block Luka Zahovic’s goal-bound follow-up. It needed another Tavernier intervention, this time on Gregor Badje, to prevent Denis Klinar’s cross from being converted.
Even then, a 39th-minute piece of profligacy from Rangers could have changed the tone. Daniel Candeias reacted superbly to seize upon a wayward pass as Handanovic suffered a radar malfunction. The Portuguese winger could have struck at goal but instead played it to Morelos, who hadn’t sufficiently retreated from an offside position. His glee at poking into an empty net was swiftly curtailed by the assistant referee’s flag.
Maribor were level a minute later. And this time there was nothing McGregor could do about it. A sweeping crossfield pass from Derisevic found Viler sneaking into the inside-left channel, from where he fired a jaw-dropping, angled finish into the far corner of the net.
Rangers needed to re-assert some control. And, just as against Osijek last week, Gerrard’s half-time words resulted in a flying start to the second period. The Ibrox manager clearly gets the right messages across.
Coulibaly signalled the charge with a thump from the fringe of the area that Handanovic tipped over the top. Rangers stayed on the front foot and gained their reward when Connor Goldson slung a searching pass in the direction of Morelos.
The striker darted into the area, nicking the ball between Sasa Ivkovic’s legs before being toppled by the defender. Israeli referee Roi Reinshreiber pointed to the spot and Tavernier stepped up to calmly send Handanovic the wrong way.
Now the Rangers fans had found their voice again. Maribor were looking seriously stressed as Tavernier almost doubled his tally with a swerving strike that Handanovic pushed away.
Coulibaly, though, would have the last word. Bundling in an 86th-minute cross from substitute Jamie Murphy, the Malian spread delirium around the ground.