Rangers progress to Champions League play-off despite defeat to Viktoria Plzen: ‘I'm disappointed we lost'
Midfielder Lyall Cameron levelled on the hour with his first Rangers goal but Plzen substitute Svetozar Markovic restored the home side's lead in the 83rd minute when he took advantage of more sloppy marking and the Light Blues could have conceded more, with goalkeeper Jack Butland again in fine form.
Boss Martin, under fire from Gers fans after drawing their first two William Hill Premiership fixtures to already sit four points behind Old Firm rivals Celtic, told Rangers TV: 'I'm disappointed we lost. We had some really good moments, but disappointed how many shots we gave them, how many chances we gave them.
'And also disappointed with how many times we got in and around their box, with overload, big numbers, and then don't execute the final pass.
'So there were some really good moments of football. We saw the game out really well in the last seven minutes with some really good football.
'But there were way too many moments for them, that were self-inflicted as well, really.
'I said to the guys, we have to bring both sides of the game.
'So second half when we scored, we actually played some really good stuff, scored a goal and then almost switched off again, like, 'it's okay, it's fine now'.
'And we just can't do that. We have to be really relentless. So I'm disappointed with the performance, I'm disappointed with the result, but there's lots to build on, and we just need to be cleaner with the ball.
'The amount of times we played through the press in the first half and it came to absolutely nothing.
'We turned the ball over. And if we turn the ball over being really aggressive, trying something, that's fine, but we just turned the ball over so cheaply.
'We can't do that. The guys that came on the pitch really helped us take the ball in. Danilo was fantastic. Kieran (Dowell) and Nedim (Bajrami) helped us take the ball.
'So, again, another brilliant bit of learning and we're through to the last qualifying round for the Champions League, but I am annoyed.
'It's my job to be annoyed at some of the stuff, and also, we'll show them some of the really good stuff as well.
'But that wasn't enough. There's too many scary moments for the opposition that really we can do better with.'
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South Wales Guardian
32 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Celtic left with plenty to do after goalless stalemate with Kairat Almaty
In Brendan Rodgers' 800th match as a manager, there was no traditional early onslaught by the Hoops as the accomplished Kazakh side more than matched their hosts. However, with Yang Hyun-jun on for Adam Idah and Daizen Maeda moving to centre forward at the start of the second half, Celtic stepped up the pace and piled on the pressure in the later stages but could not find a way through despite 10 added minutes. All to play for in Kazakhstan.#CelticKairat | #UCL | #CelticFC🍀 — Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) August 20, 2025 After Saturday's home William Hill Premiership game against Livingston, Celtic will get ready for the return leg in Kazakhstan next Tuesday night which involves a 7,000-mile round trip knowing qualification requires perhaps more work than many anticipated. Much of the build-up to the game was centred on if and when Rodgers would add to his squad for the European campaign. There were no late signings, but Rodgers made six changes to his side, with Kasper Schmeichel, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales, Reo Hatate, Benjamin Nygren and Idah returning and Viljami Sinisalo, Dane Murray, Auston Trusty, Arne Engels, Luke McCowan and Johnny Kenny dropping out. Rafael Urazbakhtin stressed his side were playing for the glory of Kazakhstan and the Kairat head coach was pinning a lot of hopes on 17-year-old Chelsea-bound Dastan Satpayev. The visitors settled early and in the 11th minute captain Aleksandr Martynovich had the ball in the Hoops net from close range but was offside. With Satpayev influential, Kairat attacked fluidly and at pace on the counter, dampening the mood of the expectant home support. In the 32nd minute, Celtic defender Alastair Johnston pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury as he backtracked and was taken from the field on a stretcher, replaced by Anthony Ralston. Moments later, Kairat goalkeeper Alexandr Zarutskiy saved from Maeda when Celtic at last got through, but at the other end Ofri Arad's powerful drive flew just wide of Schmeichel's post. Yang for Idah for the start of the second period and Maeda moving central was no surprise and within a minute Yang set up James Forrest, whose shot was touched onto a post and then gathered by Zarutskiy. In the 58th minute, after some sloppiness by Carter-Vickers in the Hoops defence, Brazilian striker Edmilson tried a speculative shot from 40 yards and it landed on the roof of Schmeichel's goal. Celtic's corner count mounted but to no avail and Hoops fans – perhaps also frustrated by a lack of transfer activity – began singing 'sack the board' as the game moved into the final quarter. In the 75th minute, after sustaining an injury defending a corner, Zarutskiy had to be replaced by understudy Temirlan Anarbekov and he had his head bandaged and covered by a protective cap after taking a knock. The visitors, though, were wasting time at every opportunity and 10 added minutes gave Celtic scope, but Maeda spurned a gift when he ran through alone and could only manage a tame shot which was easily saved by Anarbekov and there were boos at the end from irate supporters.
Leader Live
43 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Celtic left with plenty to do after goalless stalemate with Kairat Almaty
In Brendan Rodgers' 800th match as a manager, there was no traditional early onslaught by the Hoops as the accomplished Kazakh side more than matched their hosts. However, with Yang Hyun-jun on for Adam Idah and Daizen Maeda moving to centre forward at the start of the second half, Celtic stepped up the pace and piled on the pressure in the later stages but could not find a way through despite 10 added minutes. All to play for in Kazakhstan.#CelticKairat | #UCL | #CelticFC🍀 — Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) August 20, 2025 After Saturday's home William Hill Premiership game against Livingston, Celtic will get ready for the return leg in Kazakhstan next Tuesday night which involves a 7,000-mile round trip knowing qualification requires perhaps more work than many anticipated. Much of the build-up to the game was centred on if and when Rodgers would add to his squad for the European campaign. There were no late signings, but Rodgers made six changes to his side, with Kasper Schmeichel, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales, Reo Hatate, Benjamin Nygren and Idah returning and Viljami Sinisalo, Dane Murray, Auston Trusty, Arne Engels, Luke McCowan and Johnny Kenny dropping out. Rafael Urazbakhtin stressed his side were playing for the glory of Kazakhstan and the Kairat head coach was pinning a lot of hopes on 17-year-old Chelsea-bound Dastan Satpayev. The visitors settled early and in the 11th minute captain Aleksandr Martynovich had the ball in the Hoops net from close range but was offside. With Satpayev influential, Kairat attacked fluidly and at pace on the counter, dampening the mood of the expectant home support. In the 32nd minute, Celtic defender Alastair Johnston pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury as he backtracked and was taken from the field on a stretcher, replaced by Anthony Ralston. Moments later, Kairat goalkeeper Alexandr Zarutskiy saved from Maeda when Celtic at last got through, but at the other end Ofri Arad's powerful drive flew just wide of Schmeichel's post. Yang for Idah for the start of the second period and Maeda moving central was no surprise and within a minute Yang set up James Forrest, whose shot was touched onto a post and then gathered by Zarutskiy. In the 58th minute, after some sloppiness by Carter-Vickers in the Hoops defence, Brazilian striker Edmilson tried a speculative shot from 40 yards and it landed on the roof of Schmeichel's goal. Celtic's corner count mounted but to no avail and Hoops fans – perhaps also frustrated by a lack of transfer activity – began singing 'sack the board' as the game moved into the final quarter. In the 75th minute, after sustaining an injury defending a corner, Zarutskiy had to be replaced by understudy Temirlan Anarbekov and he had his head bandaged and covered by a protective cap after taking a knock. The visitors, though, were wasting time at every opportunity and 10 added minutes gave Celtic scope, but Maeda spurned a gift when he ran through alone and could only manage a tame shot which was easily saved by Anarbekov and there were boos at the end from irate supporters.
Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
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