Motherwell 1, Rangers 1: Longelo the hero for Motherwell as he rescues a point

Daily Record

2 days ago

Jens Berthel Askou's Premiership reign started with a draw against Rangers
Emmanuel Longelo was Motherwell's hero as boss Jens Berthel Askou's Premiership campaign started with a draw against Rangers at Fir Park.
‌
James Tavernier's first-half header was cancelled out in the dying stages by Longelo's strike.
‌
The Ibrox side could be forgiven for having an eye on Tuesday's Champions League qualifier against Viktoria Plzen.
‌
Tavernier headed Rangers into the lead in 14 minutes, and it looked like Rangers might build on that, but instead they fell away from the game.
They were made to pay for that as Motherwell bagged a late leveller.
The game started at a frantic pace, with Motherwell not letting Rangers settle on the ball, but the visitors also advancing at pace, but the game died away midway through..
‌
James Tavernier saw a 19-yard free kick well saved inside five minutes, and Djeidi Gassama looked lively,
Emmanuel Longelo and Apostolos Stamatelopoulos both went close for Motherwell in the same move.
Motherwell stepped it up in the second half and should have levelled through Elijah Just five minutes in, and the hosts created several decent chances to score.
‌
Motherwell boss Askou kept faith with the side that drew against Hertha Berlin, and beat Morton in their final Premier Sports Cup group stages game. Aston Oxborough again gets the nod on the bench.
Rangers manager Russell Martin made one change to the side that progressed against Panathinaikos in the Champions League second qualifying round, as Djeidi Gassama replaces Findlay Curtis.
‌
Gassama was sent flying by Lukas Fadinger just outside the box in five minutes, with Tavernier lining up the free kick, but Calum Ward made a brilliant save to push it over the top left corner.
A terrific Rangers move then ended with Gassama sending a first-time shot curling round the right post from eight yards out in nine minutes.
Motherwell went close in 10 minutes when Johnny Koutroumbis' cross from the right was stabbed goalwards by defender Nasser Djiga, but keeper Jack Butland was alert to it and saved his blushes.
‌
Danilo had a snap-shot out of nothing that bounced off the top of the bar from just inside the box in 13 minutes, as Rangers searched for an opening.
But Rangers got the opener in 14 minutes when Joe Rothwell's corner was headed in at the back post by Tavernier.
‌
Motherwell went close in 23 minutes when Watt sent Longelo racing through on the left and his shot was well parried by Butland, who also blocked Stamatelopoulos' follow-up.
Slattery picked out Longelo on the left side of the box in 40 minutes, but his chip flew high and wide of the right post.
‌
Tawanda Maswanhise's cross from the right was just missed by Just with a diving header in 41 minutes.
Kieran Dowell's cross from the right was headed at the back post by Gassama in 47 minutes, but was comfortably held by Ward.
Three minutes later, Longelo's left wing free kick made its way to Stamatelopoulos on the right side of the box, but he fired high and wide.
‌
Slattery's free kick from wide on the left was headed just over by Just at the back post in 50 minutes.
Midfielder Slattery was in the mood and sent Stamatelopoulos through on goal in 53 minutes, but Djjiga did just enough to block the Australian's shot.
‌
The unlikely figure of Paul McGinn nearly got on the score-sheet in 56 minutes, forcing a fine diving save from Butland, with the Rangers defence hacking the rebound to safety before anybody in claret and amber could pounce.
Stamatelopoulos then picked out Maswanhise on the right corner of the box, but he sent his angled shot flying past the far post in 57 minutes.
At the other end, John Souttar went on a run down the left, but his angled shot was well held by Ward in 63 minutes.
‌
Rothwell's corner on the left was bounced out the box, but only as far as Cameron, who let fly with a low shot that was well held by Ward in 69 minutes.
Just's deep cross from the left was headed just over at the back post by Stamatelopoulos in 70 minutes, as Motherwell tried to get back level.
Slattery tried his luck from distance, but sent his angled shot past the left post.
‌
But Motherwell bagged a leveller in 87 minutes when Longelo smashed in a low shot.
Tom Sparrow could have won it for Motherwell in the dying stages but saw his shot well saved by Butland.
MOTHERWELL: Ward, Koutroumbis, McGinn, Gordon (O'Donnell, 71), Longelo, Watt, Slattery (Sparrow, 90+1), Fadinger, Maswanhise, Just (Balmer, 90+1), Stamatelopoulos (Said, 80)
‌
Subs (not used): Oxborough (GK), Halliday, Wilson, Whyte, Ross
Booked: Watt (60)
RANGERS: Butland, Tavernier, Djiga, Souttar, Aarons, Rothwell (bajrami, 73), Diomande (Cameron, 63), Raskin (Barron, 73), Dowell, Gassama (Cortes, 82), Danilo (Dessers, 63)
‌
Attendance: 10,616