SWPL Game of the weekend: Hibernian v Rangers
How to follow on BBC
The game between Hibernian and Rangers is live on BBC Alba which you can watch on the BBC Sport Scotland website and app, as well as on BBC iPlayer. It kicks off at 16:10 BST.Hearts v Glasgow City is the early game and you'll be able to follow all the action live on the BBC Sport Scotland website and app when it kicks off at 13:00 BST. There will also be live text commentary of all of Sunday's matches there too.
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Scotsman
21 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Hibs gaffer's verdict and star striker injury update as 'two points dropped' at home
Scotland forward takes late knock ahead of UEFA Conference League return leg with Partizan Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hibs boss David Gray believes his team dropped two points at Easter Road today, as the home side surrendered a two-goal lead to Kilmarnock in a game that ended 2-2. But he's backed his players to bounce back in time for Thursday night's UEFA Conference League clash against Partizan, as the Hibees look to defend another 2-0 lead over 90 minutes – they hope – in front of a fired-up home crowd. Gray admitted he'd found today's touchline experience 'frustrating' as Hibs dominated 44 of the opening 45 minutes, with goals from Rocky Bushiri and Elie Youan – his first since December of last year – putting the hosts ahead, only for a lapse in concentration to allow Liam Polworth to score moments before half-time. Ben Brannan's wonder goal early in the second half drew the visitors level, with neither side able to find a winner. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'No excuses' after European exertions With their flight back from Belgrade not landing until around 4 am on Friday, there was a degree of heaviness about the legs. But Gray dismissed any suggestion that his players had switched off at 2-0 up. 'No, I think that would just be using an excuse,' he said. 'I think anyone looking at it would say it's been well documented. 'Can you go Thursday, Sunday, Thursday, Sunday? And if you don't get a positive result, it's because they're tired. 'I think the way we started the game was everything I asked the players for. The intensity we played at, the way we moved the ball. If you're not at it or you're feeling fatigued going into the game, we wouldn't have put in that level of performance. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'So I do think the concentration was something in the second half. It was maybe something that we need to look at. But in terms of how the players are feeling, they're all feeling fresh. They're all feeling like they know the second half performance wasn't as good as the first one. 'I think for the 44 minutes until we lost the goal, we were still pushing, still trying to get the third goal. And the way we were playing, I thought we played some really good stuff, moved the ball well. 'It was just big moments in games. We felt it ourselves in a positive way on Thursday night. Rocky makes a big block and then Partizan get a man sent off and we score not long after. It's big moments in game and momentum shifting. 'Unfortunately, the timing of that goal just before half-time handed a bit of momentum to Kilmarnock to come out second half. If we go in 2-0 at half-time, it's probably a slightly different second half. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'But that would again be using excuses. We know from our point of view, looking at ourselves, first half to second half was two very different performances.' Gray insisted he wouldn't be over-reacting to a home draw, explaining: 'As I've just said to the players in there, I'm not going to stand and scream and shout. The level of performance has been very, very good for a number of weeks now. 'I speak highly of the group all the time in terms of the togetherness and how good they are as a group. That's not going to change after 45 minutes. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It wasn't a lack of effort today. I wasn't trying to do the right things. It was just sometimes the quality at the back end of it or a bit of concentration. 'We'll show the players where they made the mistakes and what you need to learn from them all the time. That's how you learn and that's how you improve as a group. 'The good thing is we've got a brilliant game to look forward to on Thursday that all the players will be up for. Why wouldn't you be looking forward to that opportunity?' Hibs injury update ahead of UEFA Conference League clash Martin Boyle was left on the bench until just about the hour mark as Gray rested his skipper, although the manager said that the knee injury sustained in Belgrade – leaving the forward with his left leg heavily strapped for the journey home – wasn't an issue. Strike partner Kieron Bowie was hobbling slightly as he left the pitch in injury time, replaced by record signing Thibault Klidje. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'No, his actual knee was okay,' said Gray of Boyle. 'It is something we've thought about. 'Obviously, when you look at it, it's also just about freshness. He's put a lot of minutes, a lot of games. 'That's what the beauty of the squad is when you think about that. And trying to freshen the squad up as much as you can because of the schedule that we've got. But from a fitness point of view, everybody's fine.' Asked if Bowie was OK, Gray said: 'I hope so. I think it was just a knock. I think it was a bit of a stramash there when the ball came into the box. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Somebody landed on him, but he was pretty confident that it was just a knock more than anything else. But clearly wasn't moving too well. So that was the decision there.' New signing status With a work permit still pending for Miguel Chaiwa, Hibs fans will have to wait for a glimpse of the 21-year-ol defensive midfielder signed on Friday, Gray saying: 'Yeah, we're still waiting for that just now. He won't be available for Thursday anyway because he's obviously not been registered for the first leg. That's just a timing thing. 'We'll obviously try and push it as quickly as we can to get him involved as quickly as we can. But unfortunately, we're relying on the process and how long that takes. Bu, I look forward to welcoming him in and being available for squads.'
Scotsman
21 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Hibs count cost of 'hugely frustrating' game inspired by teenager's wonder goal
Hibees let two-goal lead slip against Killie Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... David Gray lamented Hibs' drop-off in performance after they let a two-goal lead slip in 'a hugely frustrating' 2-2 draw with Kilmarnock. The Hibees looked to be in command after Rocky Bushiri and Elie Youan – on his first start since December – put them two up within the opening half-hour. But Killie hit back just before the break through Liam Polworth and then 18-year-old Ben Brannan volleyed home a spectacular equaliser in the 48th minute. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It was hugely frustrating, but certainly a game of two halves in terms of our level of performance as well,' said manager Gray. 'We started the game really well and for 44 of the 45 minutes in the first half I thought we were very good and dominated the game. Jamie Brandon and Kieron Bowie collide during Hibs' 2-2 draw with Kilmarnock. | SNS Group 'But we lost a really poor goal and it just gave a little bit of momentum to Kilmarnock going in at half-time and then it's a wonder goal to get it back to 2-2. Our level of performance from that moment on was certainly a lot lower than it was in the first half. It certainly feels like two points dropped because of being 2-0 up in the game and how dominant we were in the first half.' Gray dismissed any notion that Hibs' exertions in their 2-0 Conference League win away to Partizan Belgrade were a factor in Sunday's match 'No,' he said. 'I think the way we started the game was everything I asked the players for. The intensity we played at, the way we moved the ball. 'If you're not at it or you're feeling fatigued going into the game, we wouldn't have put in that level of performance. I do think the concentration in the second half was maybe something we need to look at. But in terms of how the players are feeling, they're all feeling fresh.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Kilmarnock boss Stuart Kettlewell praised Brannan's presence of mind to attempt the audacious strike that brought the equaliser. 'I think in modern football a lot of the time what we see is players in that scenario trying to take a touch and trying to shift it wide, but I just love that personality and that imagination to take it on and he executes it,' said the manager.
Daily Record
21 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Nobel Mendy to Rangers transfer fee revealed as Real Betis defender set to be Ibrox arrival No.10
Sources close to the defender have confirmed to Record Sport his heart is set on a move to Scotland Rangers are set to clinch a €4million euro deal for Nobel Mendy after the Real Betis defender opted for a move to Scotland. The 20-year-old Frenchman has being weighing up a rival offer from La Liga rivals Rayo Vallecano. But sources close the 6ft 2ins stopper have confirmed to Record Sport that he has now set his heart on joining Russell Martin's side. The arrival of a 10th new face this summer will be a welcome morale booster for the Ibrox boss after his troubled start to life in the Govan hot seat. Martin's side have slumped four points off the title pace already with just two games of the new Premiership season played. The new gaffer and his Light Blues squad will fly out to Plzen on Monday for the second leg of their Champions League third round qualifier looking to finish off the job after last week's 3-0 first leg win. And they will hope to have left-sided centre half Mendy available for the play-off against either Club Brugge or Red Bull Salzburg. The Betis kid has only registered a handful of appearances for the Seville-based outfit in La Liga but did feature in their Europa Conference League semi-final win over Fiorentina. You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
