MISSED CHANCES PROVE COSTLY
MARK WILSON Rangers are made to rue lack of cutting edge as defeat in Vienna brings Euro adventure to end
AFTER 14 games, almost 20,000 air miles and one must-win showdown, a reinvigorating Europa League journey ended in frustration for Rangers. Goodnight Vienna, right enough.
Superior to Rapid in most departments for 84 minutes, Steven Gerrard’s side just could not force the advantage that would have carried them into Monday’s last-32 draw. They struck the bar, saw half-chances slip away and worked home goalkeeper Richard Strebinger.
But that moment of incision, of golden attacking quality to transform their fortunes, did not arrive. Possession was not always matched by punch.
It led to a painful denouement. With six minutes left, Rapid seized on a misplaced clearance from Allan McGregor to begin a rare move of attacking fluency that culminated with substitute Dejan Ljubicic slotting into the net.
The Austrians were left to celebrate with glee. They progress alongside Villarreal. For Rangers, backed by a huge travelling support, there will be no continental football to warm the heart after Christmas.
That will irk Gerrard and his players. In time, however, there may also be satisfaction about just how far they have come over the course of an absorbing campaign. This was only the second loss they had incurred.
Reaching the group stage was the priority when it all began back on July 12. Fourth seeds in the section, a third-placed finish is no embarrassment.
A step has been taken towards re-establishing the club’s name in Europe. Even so, all at Ibrox will know they had a chance to push on even further.
The priority now for Gerrard is to ensure no hangover affects their domestic prospects. Victory over Hamilton is essential on Sunday to try and recapture some ground lost in the past dozen days ahead of a demanding run-in to the winter break. The Premiership arena is where clearer judgments will be drawn about progress being made by the club.
Dismayed by the standard of the performance in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with ten-man Dundee, Gerrard opted for a wholescale transformation in his starting selection.
Only McGregor, Connor Goldson, James Tavernier and Ryan Jack provided continuity.
There was also no place for Ovie Ejaria. Left at home after feeling ‘unsettled’, according to Gerrard, there is now significant doubt about the Liverpool loanee’s longer-term future at Ibrox. For all the technical gifts shown over 28 appearances, there have been occasions when Ejaria has appeared ill at ease with the robust nature of midfield combat in Scottish football.
Rangers opted for strength in that department here. Youngster Ross McCrorie started for the first time since late September, given the task of screening in a 4-1-4-1 set-up. Scott Arfield shifted wide right to cover for the suspension enforced absence of winger Daniel Candeias.
The Ibrox squad had avoided training on the Allianz Stadion pitch on Wednesday to prevent further damage to the surface. Even so, it was still deeply unsatisfactory for a match of this significance. Patchy and cutting up easily, it tested the players’ first touch and patience in equal measure.
Tension was clear in both sides during a fractured first half. When Lassana Coulibaly surged forward on a promising break, he ruined the moment with a woeful pass towards Glenn Middleton. The Malian raised a hand in apology. Gerrard looked less than impressed.
The onus, of course, was on Rangers to go for the win. Rapid were conservative in their attacking intent and looked limited in both imagination and quality when chances to threaten arose. McGregor didn’t have a save to make prior to the interval.
Directing traffic the other way was Gerrard’s aim. Borna Barisic had the first strike at goal on 15 minutes with a daisy-cutting free-kick that was comfortably held by Strebinger. Six minutes later, the Ibrox outfit came within a fraction of taking the lead.
Gerrard appealed for a penalty when Tavernier’s cross was blocked by an Austrian hand, but Italian referee Paolo Mazzoleni seemed to call it right with a freekick a yard or so outside the area. Tavernier delivered and Goldson rose to thump in a header that crashed against the bar.
The former Brighton centre-back roared in frustration but he could have done no more.
From there, the scrappiness intensified. Middleton managed to burrow his way behind Mert Muldur, with the right-back shown a yellow card as he hauled him down. Rangers wasted the freekick and Jack was then cautioned for a frustrated late challenge on Manuel Martic.
Gerrard could feel reasonably content come half-time. His side had the control. The question was whether or not they could steadily ramp up the pressure in the push for a winner.
A slide-rule pass from Tavernier almost sent Alfredo Morelos through, but Strebinger bolted off his line to clear just in time.
It wasn’t long before the Rapid goalkeeper was forced into more evasive action.
A decent spell of Rangers passing led to Jack sweeping in a cross from the right. Strebinger flew out to make a punch just as Morelos closed in with intent. Shortly afterwards, the Colombian was squeezed out inside the area after a nice one-two with Jack.
The Ibrox men were stepping up the tempo, getting Morelos more involved. Even so, they had to remain wary of a sucker punch. Substitute Christoph Knasmullner drew a long-awaited save from McGregor as Rapid pushed back.
Gerrard realised it was now time to gamble. With 20 minutes remaining, off went Coulibaly and on came Albanian winger Eros Grezda. He pushed forward on the
right flank, allowing Arfield to revert to a central role. Kyle Lafferty added further firepower by taking over from Jack.
Tavernier had produced some vital moments throughout this journey and sought to do so again with a dipping drive that Strebinger parried.
It looked as though Rangers might finally force their way through. But then came the 84th-minute blow that ended their hopes.
Given how outstanding he has been in Europe, there was an irony in the concession having roots in a clearance McGregor was clearly unhappy with.
Rapid gathered near the halfway line and surged forward. There was still plenty of distance to travel, but Rangers were cut open through the middle as Ljubicic, on the field for six minutes after replacing Martic, worked a smart one-two with Knasmullner before slotting the ball into the net.