Rangers progress to Champions League play-off despite defeat to Viktoria Plzen

Glasgow Times

2 days ago

The Light Blues took a 3-0 lead to the Czech Republic for the second leg of the third qualifier but that impressive performance split a 1-1 draw at Motherwell and another damaging 1-1 draw at home to Dundee which dented title hopes after just two William Hill Premiership fixtures.
Russell Martin's men were again lacklustre in a tepid first half but some life was injected into the tie in the 41st minute when striker Rafiu Durosinmi opened the scoring for the home side.
Midfielder Lyall Cameron levelled on the hour but still gave up chances and substitute Svetozar Markovic restored Plzen's lead in the 83rd minute, with Miroslav Koubek's side left to rue a series of missed opportunities to turn the tie around.
Rangers fans had complained during after another poor domestic performance and result on Saturday.
Martin made two changes, club captain James Tavernier coming in for injured right-back Max Aarons and midfielder Nicolas Raskin in for Joe Rothwell.
It was a low quality first half.
Gers goalkeeper Jack Butland had to clutch a series of cross balls out of the air, albeit he was tested by Amar Memic's powerful drive from distance.
Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers was crowded out in the Plzen box on a couple of occasions, although in the 29th minute he appeared to be barged by centre-back Sampson Dweh inside the box but Polish referee Szymon Marciniak ignored penalty claims.
Before that, Butland made a great save from Lukas Cerv and when home attacker Prince Adu muscled his way past Tavernier he should have hit the target but instead fired wide.
However, Viktoria Plzen's goal did come when left-back Jefte all too easily allowed Memic to speed past him onto a raking free-kick and cut the ball back for Durosinmi to knock into the net from eight yards.
Five minutes after the restart, Memic fired an angled drive inches past the far post before Adu's header was comfortably saved by Butland.
There was more concern for Rangers five minutes later when Dessers had to be helped off and replaced by Danilo and when his shot from a Mohamed Diomande cutback went towards goal, Cameron redirected the ball into the net from 19 yards.
The goal should have settled Rangers down but in the 70th minute, Plzen substitute Christophe Kabongo fired over the crossbar from 12 yards before Matej Vydra headed wide.
And with 15 minutes remaining, after Rangers defender John Souttar had conceded possession needlessly, Butland made a great save from an Adu drive on the turn to prevented a Plzen goal before making another great reaction save from substitute Milan Havel's close-range header and a save from Vydra.
The second goal did come when Markovic headed in from a Kabongo cross, but the overall deficit could not be cut.
It was another step forward for Rangers in terms of their European journey but Martin still has so much work on his hands with regards the rebuild of the team.