CHAMPIONS
Helander strike and McGregor’s wonder save ensure Rangers avoid title hangover
FOUR days after they were crowned kings of Scotland, Rangers secured a result that may prove of regal significance to their Europa League ambitions.
They took a little time to rise to the occasion. Steven Gerrard’s side looked as though they were still nursing hangovers from the weekend title party during the opening half-hour. Sluggish, slovenly play pockmarked their performance.
When they fell behind to Nicolae Stanciu’s exquisite seventhminute strike, there was a danger of the situation quickly worsening. And maybe in past seasons it might have.
Not now. Filip Helander claimed an equaliser before the break that flattered Rangers on the balance of the first half. Come the second period, however, Gerrard’s men stepped it up across every department.
They got in Slavia’s faces. They had chances to take the lead. And, right at the end, they departed with a merited draw thanks to a quite brilliant save from Allan McGregor.
It was another addition to the 39-year-old’s lengthy catalogue of European moments. Little wonder Gerrard is so eager for McGregor to sign on for another season. The goalkeeper seems to have a capacity for bending the laws of physics.
Slavia substitute Lukas Masopust’s downward header carried such force and accuracy that it looked impossible to stop on the line.
McGregor did, though, diving low to somehow draw the ball back under his command. ‘World-class’ was the only appropriate assessment.
The outcome leaves this contest for a quarter-final place perfectly poised ahead of next Thursday’s second leg in Glasgow. If they can perform as they did after the interval, Rangers should feel capable of securing another landmark feat in Gerrard’s tenure.
The Ibrox manager could certainly be satisfied with the fortitude shown following the immense emotional high of claiming the club’s first title in a decade. Whether at home or abroad, his team are one tough nut to crack. That’s now a dozen unbeaten Europa League games this season.
Make no mistake, a draw here is creditable. Slavia’s pedigree extends well beyond their superb victory over Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City in the previous round.
Bayer Leverkusen, Nice and Hapoel Be’er Sheva were all defeated in the Czech capital during the group stage. Indeed, no visiting side has won at the Sinobo Stadium since Inter Milan triumphed back in November 2019.
Jindrich Trpisovsky’s men set about showing why from the start. Pressing high and mixing it up between short and long passing, the hosts quickly unsettled Rangers.
Then, in the seventh minute, came the early concession. Slavia seized control in midfield and switched play wide left for Peter Olayinka. The Nigerian rolled the ball back for Stanciu, who was given too much leeway to size up his options.
It was time he put to good use. A beautiful, curling shot from near the angle of the area flew past the unsighted McGregor and found the far side of the net.
Stanciu’s finish was majestic. But it still felt like punishment for the sloppiness Rangers had exhibited.
The shock of going behind wasn’t enough to dispel it. When Stanciu played in Lucas Provod, an excellent sliding challenge from Connor Goldson was required to block the midfielder’s left-foot strike. Goldson bounced back to his feet and roared in frustration at how easily the chance had been created.
Gerrard’s side couldn’t get any real grip. Keeping the ball in Slavia’s half was problematic. There was a danger of the deficit increasing.
Borna Barisic was booked on 29 minutes for toppling Jan Kuchta after tumbling in a chase just outside the area. Provod took the free-kick and tried to catch McGregor at his near post, but the veteran threw himself left to make the save.
Then Stanciu was gifted possession by a poor touch from young right-back Nathan Patterson, making just his second Europa League start. Again, the Romanian manoeuvred onto his right foot to unleash another curling effort. This time, though, his accuracy was marginally out. Patterson, like Rangers, would be much improved as the match progressed. You suspected Gerrard would have taken 1-0 at half-time and a chance to reorganise from there. Instead, he had parity to work with after Rangers grabbed a 36th-minute equaliser that stunned the previously dominant hosts. It was a strange goal. But no less valuable for that. How the Ibrox men needed the lift it provided. Barisic swept over a free-kick from the left that nicked the head of a Slavia defender before bouncing off Goldson’s thigh and angling back across goal. Ianis Hagi had previously looked off the pace, yet showed vital awareness here — reacting quickest to keep the ball in play with a precise cutback that removed goalkeeper Ondrej Kolar from the scenario. Helander had followed up and was rewarded with a close-range tap-in.
The Swede’s celebration was doubtless mixed with a little relief. For Rangers, the question was whether they could raise their performance level to build on this foothold.
It was answered positively. There was certainly more positive aggression shown as Slavia were engaged higher up the pitch. The Czechs were being presented with different problems.
A spate of chances followed for the Ibrox men just beyond the hour mark.
The first arose when Alfredo Morelos broke into space on the right flank. He knocked inside for Joe Aribo but the Nigeria midfielder couldn’t quite sort out his feet as a left-foot shot was sliced wide. Aribo was becoming influential in his creation, though. A lovely glide towards the home penalty area was followed by him picking out Ryan Kent.
The £7.5million man slightly mis-hit his shot but it threatened to loop over Kolar before the goalkeeper thrust up a hand to tip it away.
Rangers were on top now. By some distance, it was their best spell of the game. They could, and should, have gone in front on 67 minutes.
A Barisic free-kick was once more the outlet. His fabulous delivery from the left looked inch-perfect for Goldson’s run but the centreback couldn’t connect as the ball flashed in front of him. Any solid contact and you wouldn’t have fancied Kolar’s chances.
You always fancy McGregor’s chances. The goalkeeper initially had to stretch to concede a 90th-minute corner. When that was delivered, he denied Masopust in extraordinary fashion. It was a sensational finale to a performance imbued with resilience.