Findlay Curtis puts Rangers ahead in Panathinaikos Champions League qualifier

Powys County Times

5 days ago

Ibrox roared as Russell Martin's first competitive game as Rangers boss brought an encouraging 2-0 win over 10-man Panathinaikos.
After a decent start from the home side in the first leg of Tuesday night's Champions League second-round qualifier, the Greek outfit bossed the rest of the half and should have been ahead.
However, in the 52nd minute, 18-year-old winger Findlay Curtis opened the scoring with a terrific finish from outside the box, his first goal for the Govan club.
Just six minutes later, Panathinaikos right-back Giorgos Vagiannidis was shown a second yellow card from Lithuanian referee Donatas Rumsas for a foul on Curtis.
There was more joy for the Gers supporters when debutant Djeidi Gassama, the 21-year-old winger signed from Sheffield Wednesday, added a second with a thunderous strike in the 78th minute.
Gassama had only been on the pitch a few minutes to give the hosts a further advantage ahead of the return game in Athens next week.
Under new ownership of a US-based consortium, there is a sense of the unknown about the Govan club's future but it was a positive start.
Panathinaikos boss Rui Vitoria admitted scant knowledge of the Light Blues in his pre-match media conference.
However, of the seven new Rangers recruits, only defenders Nasser Djiga and Max Aarons and midfielder Joe Rothwell started the game along with Curtis on the left, while Kieran Dowell – on loan at Birmingham in the second half of last season – started on the right.
With Hamza Igamane and Cyriel Dessers not up to speed and on the bench, Brazilian striker Danilo led the line.
A packed Ibrox watched the home side start with the pace and purpose but it was the visitors who almost stole into the lead in the ninth minute with Gers goalkeeper Jack Butland making a fine save from Fecundo Pellistri following a cut-back, before Filip Duricic struck the outside of the post from the rebound.
Minutes later, Butland made a terrific save from Erik Palmer-Brown's shot from 14 yards and more confidence ebbed away from Rangers and their fans.
However, in the 37th minute, a long-range effort from midfielder Mohamed Diomande drew a decent save from visiting goalkeeper Bartlomiej Dragowski before Danilo's volley was deflected wide for a corner, which came to nothing.
Surprisingly, Martin kept his side unchanged for the start of the second half and again Butland came to the rescue, making a crucial one-handed save from Duricic.
Then, out of the blue, Rangers struck on the break. Curtis took the ball from midfielder Nicolas Raskin, cut inside and curled a shot from 25 yards past Dragowski and into the far corner of the net.
The night became even better for revived Rangers when Vagiannidis, who was booked for diving in the first half, was sent packing after hauling down Curtis.
Panathinaikos retained a threat on the break but Dragowski made two great saves from Raskin in quick succession to keep his side in the game, before another effort from Curtis was blocked by midfielder Nemanja Maksimovic.
In the 75th minute, Danilo, Curtis and Dowell were replaced by Dessers, Igamane and Gassama, who had the crowd out of their seats again and cheering when he fired in from 20 yards to give the Light Blues a cushion for the second leg next Wednesday.