OLE GOALIE TO THE RESCUE
McGregor keeps Spanish at bay as ten-man Rangers stay in race for knock-out stages
HAVING made it into this Europa League group with nine men, Rangers relied on the resilience of ten to keep hope of further progression within their own hands.
The 44th-minute dismissal of Daniel Candeias for a second booking left Steven Gerrard’s side dangerously depleted. Once again, this became a test of resolve. Once again, the Ibrox outfit were not found wanting.
Just as they had done after two red cards in that final qualifier against Ufa, Rangers saw it through to secure an outcome that maintains their ambitions. Win a dramatic final assignment away to Rapid Vienna on December 13 and they will be into the last 32.
It is no easy task. But this is a position Gerrard would surely have accepted before a ball was kicked in Europe.
Pre-match, the Rangers boss had urged his side to subject Villarreal to Storm Ibrox with front-foot aggression amid the wind and rain. Losing Candeias obviously altered the gameplan. Two yellows in the space of seven first-half minutes led to his exit. And to a whole new level of tension inside the ground.
There were times when Gerrard’s side relied on the evergreen excellence of Allan McGregor, with 11 men as much as ten. Yet they also had chances of their own to claim what would have been a remarkable triumph. The workrate across midfield was tireless.
They remain third in a congested Group G, a point behind both Villarreal and Rapid. The Austrian capital will now play host to quite a showdown in a fortnight’s time.
Not that there was any shortage of incident here. Even if goals were absent. For all involved, there was scarcely time to catch breath in a first half that surged its way to an acrimonious conclusion.
Prime chances were missed at both ends amid the kind of red-blooded confrontation Gerrard had demanded.
Scott Arfield’s aggression was keenly controlled. Sliding into challenges throughout midfield, the ex-Burnley man also provided a source of threat with clever runs beyond the attacking line.
An early one took him into the right place to meet a low cross from Lassana Coulibaly. It was only a half-chance and his poked shot was clutched by Spanish goalkeeper Andres Fernandez. Villarreal were soon stirred into life. Karl Toko Ekambi fired a ball across the face of goal that Carlos Bacca just couldn’t reach, before the Cameroon forward had a drive of his own blocked by Joe Worrall.
Already the game looked stretched. Another successful Arfield challenge led to Alfredo Morelos winning a corner. When James Tavernier delivered an in-swinger, the Colombian was unfortunate with a cute attempt at a back-heel flick.
How Gerrard must have wished Morelos had also been on the end of a 31st-minute opportunity that was his side’s best of a frantic opening period. Arfield’s dinked cross from the right maintained home pressure, with Worrall knocking it down smartly. Fellow centre-back Connor Goldson skied over from ten yards.
From there, it was all about McGregor v Ekambi. Twice in the space of 11 minutes, the Scotland keeper rescued Rangers with terrific saves.
The first came when he bolted off his line to block a low strike after Worrall was left appealing for an offside flag that never arrived.
The second spared Jon Flanagan from embarrassment. A woeful pass from the left-back gifted Ekambi another chance to beat McGregor, but this time a hand was thrust up in denial. Such heroics from the 36-year-old have almost become commonplace this term.
Even so, his latest instalment was not the headline act of the first half. That came from Candeias. Booked after 36 minutes for a late foul on left-back Jaume Costa, the Portuguese winger was among a posse of Ibrox players who surged after Santiago Caseres seven minutes later.
Candeias caught the midfielder on the back of the leg as he fell. Out came another yellow card.
Somewhat farcically, however, Slovenian referee Matej Jug didn’t appear to realise that the former Benfica player had already been cautioned.
Protests from Villarreal and a summons from assistant Manuel Vidali put him right after a brief delay. Jug flourished the red card at Candeias and Ibrox roared in anguish.
One over-heated fan even vaulted the advertising hoardings to vent his fury, an intervention that will be dimly viewed by UEFA.
Could Rangers survive? Finding the right organisational blend was essential in Gerrard’s interval instructions.
Inevitably, a yellow tide began to lap around the Rangers penalty area as the second half cranked into life. In truth, though, there was a lack of incision about the visitors. McGregor always had to be alert, but this was no bombardment.
Villarreal coach Javier Calleja opted to introduce Santi Cazorla and remove Bacca, yet the change in personnel failed to up the threat level. Rangers were standing firm. And they suddenly developed a rekindled ambition of their own.
When Glenn Middleton turned in a Tavernier delivery from the right, Ibrox briefly thought a miracle was unfolding. An offside flag soon doused the celebrations.
Gerrard then replaced Morelos — a booking away from suspension in Vienna — to throw on Kyle Lafferty. The Northern Irishman promptly struck a left-foot drive from distance that Fernandez had to push over the top.
There was still time for McGregor to deny Samu Chukwueze before fellow sub Gerard Moreno knocked a lastgasp chance too high. The stressrelieving roar that greeted the final whistle could have carried Rangers all the way to Vienna.