SKIPPER THROWS IT AWAY
Tavernier’s errors cost Gerrard’s side dearly in Swiss surrender
IT was absolutely nothing to do with the fact they were not backed by their usual vociferous support. Nor could a predictably poor plastic surface in Bern be forwarded as an argument in mitigation.
In the end, it was Rangers’ inability to do the fundamentals of the game which cost them so dearly in the stade de suisse. It will be some time before steven Gerrard will be able to fathom quite how his side contrived to hit the front yet emerge with nothing to show for their efforts.
The game proved to be a personal nightmare for Ibrox skipper James Tavernier. Guilty of playing a woeful pass to Connor Goldson as Young Boys levelled early in the second half through Roger assale, the Englishman then made a hash of what should have been a routine clearance at the death to let Christian Fassnacht claim a scarcely deserved victory for the swiss.
The galling thing for Gerrard was that one point, perhaps even three, appeared to be here for the taking.
Despite a formidable reputation on their own patch, Young Boys were no more than competent and when alfredo Morelos fired the Ibrox side ahead in the dying embers of the first half, there seemed little to think that victory in Gerrard’s 24th European match in charge would not be realised.
In a group that already looks like being tighter than piano wire, and with a double-header with Porto up next, the repercussions of this reverse could be painful.
after seeing his side’s five-game winning run come to a halt, Gerrard was entitled to grumble about a penalty Morelos appeared to have been denied after having his ankles clipped by Ulisses Garcia.
But he only had to look within the dressing room for the true architects of this downfall. For all Rangers have improved hugely in Europe under his tutelage in the past year, the elementary errors they made here underscored how far they have yet to come.
The city of Bern is so synonymous with bears that the banks of the aare River house an enclosure where six of the magnificent beasts are allowed to roam.
a self-imposed ban on taking tickets ensured there were far fewer than normal of the Teddy Bears of Ibrox here to witness the main attraction of the day.
In the end, though, any scot travelling in the off chance of snaring a prized seat was not to be disappointed. By yesterday morning, Young Boys were freely selling briefs to an assigned visitors’ section. Housed in a corner, the visiting support was smaller than usual but not insignificant.
Predictably, Gerrard proceeded with caution. If Filip Helander’s inclusion at Nikola Katic’s expense was somewhat surprising, the same couldn’t be said about Glen Kamara’s selection ahead of Greg stewart in a solid midfield.
Of the three pre-match injury doubts, Gerardo seoane, the swiss coach, was only able to start striker assale. Nicolas Ngamaleu began on the bench with veteran French forward Guillaume Hoarau posted absent.
Rangers’ businesslike start would have encouraged their manager. with Kamara and steven Davis immediately up with the pace of the game, the swiss didn’t get into an early rhythm. so you could only imagine Gerrard’s fury at the encouragement his players then gave to their opponents.
Collectively dreaming as Gianluca Gaudino pulled a corner to the edge of the box, only Helander’s block denied Michel aebischer the opener.
Into their stride, Young Boys went close again when Fabian Lustenberger floated a ball over a static visiting defence. Garcia’s touch was heavy and allan McGregor gathered.
another surge from the men in yellow saw assale pick out Jean Pierre Nsame with a deep cross. somehow, despite having time and space, he missed the target.
Despite Young Boys looking suspect defensively, Rangers failed to stretch them as the game settled. a clumsy pass by former Celtic man saidy Janko gifted Morelos an unwarranted chance but the Colombian was hesitant and the chance was gone.
sheyi Ojo was equally off the pace when stellar work by Ryan Jack won the ball back in a good position. The Englishman was fortunate to escape a booking for a poor challenge on Lustenberger.
Rangers could live with the fact the game was devoid of quality as long as the score remained blank. assale threatened to change that when he dropped a shoulder and let fly from 25 yards but Goldson’s intervention ensured a corner was all that was lost.
Had Morelos brought his a game here, he might well have had a field day. when Frederik sorensen misjudged Borna Barisic’s clip forward, the striker ought to have done better than roll the ball into the waiting keeper’s arms. atonement would come swiftly, though, with just a minute of the first period remaining.
Barisic had only just returned to the park after treatment for a bloodied nose when his pass up the left channel made Cedric Zesiger the clear favourite to mop up. what the defender was thinking of, only he could explain.
Falling over the ball under little pressure, he sent his opponent clear on goal. Morelos’ 14th goal of the season, his ninth in Europe, was claimed with a composed finish after giving the keeper the eyes.
But for another Ojo miscue, it might even have been better for the visitors as they headed up the tunnel.
It took just five second-half minutes for the cost of that profligacy to be exposed. Tavernier was much too clever when trying to build from the back, his attempted pass infield to Goldson snuffed out by two yellow jerseys.
Jumping on the loose ball, Nsame drove towards goal. Helander left the cross when he had to intervene and assale converted from three yards.
Rangers tried to strike back immediately with Morelos forcing David von Ballmoos to save to his right after the forward unleashed a stinging strike from the edge of the box. The Colombian might also have had a penalty after Garcia appeared to catch him before the ball.
with the game stretched, Goldson also survived a penalty claim for handball, McGregor escaped the same sanction for clipping assale, then Tavernier did well to knock Gaudino’s piledriver over the top.
Despite Young Boys pressing in the final ten minutes, Rangers hung in there. and when Morelos homed in on goal after rolling his marker in the 90th minute, a famous victory seemed on the cards. what a stop Ballmoos made to keep the deflected shot out of the net.
Remarkably, even the one point Rangers still looked assured of slipped from their grasp in stoppage time.
Caught under a long punt by Ballmoos, Tavernier’s positioning was all wrong. Fassnacht took full advantage of his mishit and smashed the ball beyond McGregor with virtually the last kick of the game.
YOUNG BOYS (4-3-3): Von Ballmoos 6; Janko 6, Sorensen 6, Zesiger 4, Garcia 6; Fassnacht 6, Aebischer 6, Lustenberger 7; Gaudino 7 (Ngamaleu 73), Assale 6 (Lotomba 67), Nsame 6. Subs not used: Wolfli, Petignat, Burgy, Mambimbi, Schupbach. Booked: Sorensen. RANGERS (4-2-3-1): McGregor 6; Tavernier 5, Goldson 6, Helander 6, Barisic 6; Jack 8 (Stewart 65), Davis 7; Kamara 7, Ojo 6, Arfield 7; Morelos 7. Subs not used: Foderingham, Defoe, Halliday, Katic, Barker, King. Booked: Morelos, Davis, Tavernier. Man of the match: Ryan Jack. Referee: Manuel Schuettengruber (Aus). Attendance: 26,348.