Sunny Naples for Rangers youth League match and the return game against the Italian giants. Rangers won 3-2 at home but this will be a much tougher test with Napoli said to be a ‘different proposition’ in their own surroundings.
Rangers have named an attacking line up for this one with a front three of Aaron Lyall, Zak Lovelace and Robbie Ure. Robbie has one senior goal in the cup this year and is a young ‘Kris Boyd’ style striker, he is one to watch. But Zak Lovelace is the pick of the bunch, strong, pacey and athletic, the youngster arrived from Millwall last summer and has massively impressed.
So this front three has a lot to offer and will hopefully be what propels Rangers to a huge victory this afternoon. The team have three points so far with that victory over Napoli at home. Close defeats, 3-4 & 2-1 against Liverpool and Ajax, with a heavy defeat in Liverpool away, have left the team chasing the group so today’s game is vital.
Today’s side –
RANGERS: Pazikas, Harkness, MacKinnon, Allen, Fraser, Strachan, Nsio, Rice, Lyall, Ure, Lovelace
SUBS: Kane, K. Ewen, Ciubotaru, Webster, Pasnik, Graham, Young
First half action
1 min – Napoli early pressure but corner is cleared.
3 mins – CHANCE! Ure is in on goal after a great touch but his effort is blocked by recovering defender for a corner.
5 mins – CHANCE! Napoli number 9 pokes a cross wide. What a chance, very open game
7 mins – CAUTION Rangers Strachan 📒 FK tipped over well by Pazikas.
12 mins – SUBSTITUTION – INJ Allen OFF Ewen ON
14 mins – CAUTION 📒 Nsio goes into the book
15 mins – CHANCE! Napoli again push and no 9 spins to get free, a weak shot is straight at Pazikas.
21 mins – GOOOAAAALLLLL! Fraser free kick is knocked back in and Ure takes a touch before firing in for 0-1!
23 mins – GOALLLLL! IT’S 0-2! Lovelace with a great run and he drives it low into the net, wonderful finish cutting inside on right foot. 0-2!
30 mins – CHANCE! Lovelace run and he drills one over, every time he touches the ball there is excitement and you can hear the players shouting to run at them! 0-2
31 mins – BAR! Napoli free kick is headed onto the bar and over. 0-2
Napoli pressure, especially wide mean this game is far from open. Rangers dangerous in attack especially through Lovelace.
45 mins + 3 – GOAL! Napoli get one back, corner to edge of box is struck home with deflection by Spavone. 1-2
45 mins + 6 – PENALTY Napoli. GOAL! No 4 worked a one two then was pushed off the ball, seemed correct to me. Spavone tucked it away to make it 2-2.
HALF TIME – NAPOLI 2 RANGERS 2
Second half action
RANGERS SUBSTITUTION HT – Nsio OFF Graham ON
52 mins – PENALTY TO RANGERS!
GOOOAAAALLLL! Lovelace tucks it away – 2-3!
55 mins – CHANCE! Rangers break, Lovelace accelerates away and ball across to Graham and his shot tipped wide! 2-3
59 mins – CHANCE! Napoli break and Pazikas with a diving save to his left hand post keeps Rangers 2-3 ahead!
61 mins – CHANCE! Graham in again on the right but his shot is drilled wide. 2-3
68 mins – CHANCE! Ure through and he lobs it over, assistant’s flag was up but not sure if for goalkick or offside as I was eating some crisps at the time. Sorry folks. 2-3
76 mins – OFF THE LINE! Ure on right hand side is blocked, then he has time at the line, his cross is saved but almost headed in by the Napoli defender but his cb partner cleared it off the line! 2-3
81 mins – HUGE SAVE! Pazikas blocks as the striker found himself free just 10 yards out, what a save young man! 2-3
SUBSTITUTIONS – LOVELACE OFF WEBSTER ON, RICE OFF CIUBOTARU ON
84 mins – CHANCE! Rangers break and Ure skips past his man then the keeper but angle is too tight and he fires into side netting. 2-3
FULL TIME – NAPOLI 2 – RANGERS 3
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