THREE DOWN... ONE TO GO
Stalemate in Slovenia extends group-stage mission to last hurdle for resolute Rangers 10
THE Republic of Bashkortostan now beckons for Steven Gerrard’s Rangers. A 4,600-mile round trip to face Ufa deep inside Russia will be the final hurdle to clear on this odyssey towards the Europa League group stage.
It had previously wound its way through Macedonia and Croatia before reaching Slovenia last night. On a tense, occasionally fraught, evening inside the Ljudski vrt Stadium, a defence backed by the evergreen Allan McGregor held firm. A third successive away clean sheet in this competition was the most hard-won.
Connor Goldson had marshalled the back-line superbly before conceding a 90th-minute spot-kick for a foul on Luka Zahovic. That could have been the cue for stoppage-time panic, but McGregor brilliantly blocked the penalty from Marcos Tavares to end any doubts about their progression.
It wasn’t particularly pretty but there was much to admire in the professionalism, organisation and sheer doggedness shown by Rangers at a ground that has so often been a graveyard for Scottish dreams.
Since the Ibrox club lost here back in 2011, Maribor have seen off Celtic, Hibernian and Aberdeen in European competition. Ending that curse required Gerrard’s side to draw upon all the attributes within their armoury.
Ultimately, the attacking damage they inflicted in a terrific second-half display at Ibrox seven days previously proved too substantial. That cleared the stage for the resilience shown here as Gerrard’s emerging team took another important step in their development.
Ufa’s narrow victory over Progres Niederkorn a couple of hours earlier denied Rangers the most poetic of play-off round challenges. Instead, they will be heading two hours east of Moscow, to the city where Rudolf Nureyev grew up. Gerrard would doubtless have accepted facing a team sixth in the early-season Russian league table at this stage. Far more daunting opponents from Europe’s elite nations have been avoided.
A first leg at Ibrox next Thursday provides an opportunity to try to assemble an advantage, but the return match the following week will still present obvious logistical problems.
A lengthy, tiring flight back home from Russia is hardly the ideal preparation for an Old Firm visit to Celtic Park less than 72 hours later.
These, however, are the wearying tasks that have to be overcome in Gerrard’s bid to restore Rangers as a genuine force. Progressing beyond Ufa to guarantee six further European games would be a hugely significant feat this early in his tenure.
Gerrard’s plans suffered a pre-match blow when Lassana Coulibaly was unable to take even a place on the bench. It had been hoped the Malian midfielder, who limped off against St Mirren last Sunday, would shake off the effects of a ‘fatigue injury’ to replicate an excellent first-leg performance — capped by bundling home the third goal. His absence presented Rangers with another issue.
Ryan Jack and Scott Arfield were both passed fit, however, with Liverpool loanee Ovie Ejaria completing the trio at the heart of the Ibrox selection.
As expected, Andy Halliday was asked to plug the left-back gap created by Jon Flanagan’s suspension. Maribor winger Dino Hotic was doubtless aware his direct opponent was operating in a less familiar role. The question was whether he could take advantage.
Gerrard had insisted he wouldn’t park the bus and the only mass retreat was that forced by home pressure. Alfredo Morelos remained high against Marko Suler and Sasa Ivkovic, looking to sniff out any of the uncertainty that had pockmarked the performances of the Maribor centre-backs in Glasgow. His hosts had other ideas.
With the home fans in boisterous mood, unveiling a saltire-themed display that hailed their team as the ‘Flower of Slovenia’, Darko Milanic’s side were obviously eager to claim the breakthrough that would alter the entire complexion of this tie.
It took them the best part of 20 minutes to get into their stride. But then captain Tavares, a four-time scorer against Scottish opposition, thumped in a fierce effort that was beaten away by McGregor before Amir Dervisevic slashed wildly at the follow-up opportunity. Rangers had been warned.
Some neat interplay created the next opening. Hotic and Dervisevic exchanged crisp passes to play Zahovic into the area, but his strike had too much elevation to cause McGregor concern.
Gerrard’s men were beginning to look stretched, unable to claim much in the way of soothing spells of possession. First-half bookings for Ejaria, Jack and Daniel Candeias spoke of how frantic they had to be in making challenges. A vital aerial one from Nikola Katic then prevented Ivkovic from getting enough on a headed chance from a corner.
That had been delivered by the gifted left foot of Dervisevic, who almost caught out McGregor with a wonderfully impudent free-kick from fully 40 yards. The Scotland goalkeeper showed good agility to pedal to his right and beat the ball behind.
Rangers offered a rare breakaway threat in between those scares. A sweeping move ended with James Tavernier delivering a terrific, swerving cross but an offside flag was already up against Morelos before he spooned a poor, left-foot attempt high over the bar.
It would, however, be Maribor who ended the opening period back on the offensive. Blaz Vrhovec cleverly spun away from the over-eager Katic before firing in a shot that McGregor clutched.
The Ibrox men were glad to reach the dressing room unscathed. Now, the key was ensuring anxiety levels didn’t soar after the restart.
Nerves could have been settled by a Candeias snapshot beaten out by Jasmin Handanovic for his first real save of the match. Yet Maribor responded immediately. Hotic drove into the area to drill in a low effort expertly blocked by Goldson. The centre-back continues to make his £3million fee look like astute business.
There was still plentiful work for all of the Ibrox back-line to do. Slovenian substitute Aleks Pihler found space in behind Halliday to head back across goal, landing the ball at the feet of Tavares. It looked a certain goal but McGregor scrambled out superbly to block at close range.
The Ibrox goalkeeper had earlier delayed play to alert Belgian referee Jonathan Lardot to objects thrown at him from home fans.
He would have the final laugh. As those same Maribor supporters rose in expectation of a grandstand finale, McGregor’s 90th-minute denial of Tavares ensured it would be next stop Russia for Rangers.