Europa League group stage Game 1
Rangers vs Real Betis
21/09/2023 2000hrs KO
Team News: Butland, Tavernier, Goldson, Davies, Barisic, Lundstrum, Cifuentes, Lawrence, Matondo, Sima, Roofe.
Subs: McCrorie, K.Wright, Souttar, Jack, Dessers, Lammers, Sterling, S. Wright, King, Devine, Lyall, McKinnon.
Attacking line up with Lawrence starting as the 10. Four changes to the starting eleven.
The bench looking slightly light with a few injuries mounting. A big night for the club and a big performance required.
Let’s go!
First Half Action
4 – Kemar Roofe takes the ball just inside the Betis half and plays a beauty of a pass through to Matondo. A poor shot saved by Bravo to his left.
22 – SHOT from Ezzalzouli saved by Butland.
23 – Shout for a penalty for a possible shirt pull on Matondo. Not given.
28 – SHOT from Isco from the edge of the box over the bar.
30 – Ball over the top for the on running Ezzalzouli and his shot fired over the bar.
35 – SHOT across the face of goal from Ezzalzouli.
40 – Cross from Barisic in towards Roofe for a half chance.
41 – Low cross from Tavernier missed by everyone in the box and out for a goal kick.
2 mins added time
HALF TIME. Rangers with a slow start to the game but enjoyed a good spell in the last 10 minutes with some good, quick forward play.
Second half action:
50 – Cross from Sima on the right wing and the shot wide from Matondo.
51 – SHOT. Tom Lawrence from 25 yards just wide.
54 – Booking for Betis – Bartra. 📒
54 – SHOT! Free kick from Barisic touched onto the crossbar by Bravo. Great chance!
61 – Lawrence OFF. Lammers ON
64 – SHOT from Lammers deflected for a corner
65 – Booking for Connor Goldson. Cynical foul play to stop betis breaking. Received applause from the Ibrox crowd. 📒
66 – Driving run from Matondo from the half way line sees his shot deflected wide for a corner.
68 – GOOOAAALLLLLLLLLLL SIMAAAAAAA 1-0 RANGERS!
69 – Booking for Claudio Bravo. 📒
79 – Free kick from rangers sees Lundstrum header wide of the mark.
80 – Cifuentes OFF. Jack ON.
81 – Booking – Pezzella 📒
85 – Save again from Butland.
88 – Roofe and Sima OFF. Dessers and Sterling ON.
90 – Fourth official, 5 mins added time
91 – SAVE from Jack Butland to keep out a shot from Rodri on the edge of the box.
93 – Shot from Diao and well wide.
Full Time score: 1-0 Rangers.
Attendance: 45,634.
Match summary:
Two clean sheets in two games. Rangers had spells of great play tonight and conversely were extremely slack at other times. A chance through Matondo on 4 minutes should’ve given Rangers an early lead. From about the 35 minute mark until half time, Rangers came onto a game, pressed well and moved the ball quickly. Probably unlucky not to get a goal before the break.
The crowd replicated what we expect from ‘Rangers Thursdays’. The roar spurred the team on and we came out the traps quickly in the second half, dictating the game. Cross from Sima on the right wing and the shot wide from Matondo. Cifuentes started slowly but both he and Lundstrum were brave and bold as the game went on.
Barisic off the bar from a free kick, a mesmerising run from Matondo and a screamer (tap in) from Sima and Rangers have bagged a massive three points in game week 1.
Jack Butland deserves massive praise. Being a Rangers keeper is not for the faint hearted but that was a Man of the Match performance tonight.
Michael Beale’s message at half time was to go after the game and he got what he asked for after half time. Lawrence looks to have been taken off with a touch of cramp so fingers crossed there’s no further injuries from tonight.
A massive win for Michael Beale and a massive win for Rangers Football Club.
On to Sunday now.
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It’s one of the many perks of being a Rangers Pools customer, alongside supporting the upkeep and maintenance of Ibrox.
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Four Lads Had A Dream 
Think we gave them to much respect early doors then realised we can play football, thought lundstrum was outstanding as game went on & beside him thought cifuentes was a wee bit nervous but the lad hasn’t played much last few weeks but about last 5 mins of first half he had decent spell & think that’s when game changed, on Borna think someone has been coaching him on defending he was much closer to his man & hassling & pressing, thought roofe was outstanding also but I would give my man of match 2 lundstrum, talking 2 my son at game he said we were playing a 4-3-3 but to my eyes it was definitely the formation I want to see us playing 4-2-3-1, plenty of positives just hope Lawrence is ok any word on him Stevie
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A slow start, ponderous with no real enthusiasm shown, we need borasic to be braver instead of back passing constantly, he, and therefore rangers improved when he became braver with ball. For the latter part of the first half and almost the entire second half we dominated the play and deservedly scored and won the game. It is not yet all brilliant and I’m not getting carried away, I’ll take any kind of win and hope that builds confidence and performance.
C’mon the Rangers.
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