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Rangers 2024-2025

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Mert Hakan Yandas' penalty miss sparked joyous celebrations at Ibrox

George O'Neill

BBC Sport Scotland

Jack Butland's penalty shootout heroics earned Rangers a place in the Europa League quarter-finals after Fenerbahce overturned a 3-1 first-leg deficit at Ibrox.

The home goalkeeper saved from Dusan Tadic and Fred before Mert Hakan Yandas skied his effort over the bar, sparking jubilant scenes both on the pitch and in the stands.

Barry Ferguson's side brought a two-goal lead back to Glasgow after a magnificent performance last week in Istanbul, but they were unable to replicate those levels as their recent struggles in front of their own fans continued.

Goals from Poland midfielder Sebastian Szymanski either side of half-time brought the visitors level on aggregate and Jose Mourinho's side pushed for a winner in normal time.

Tadic curled a shot just wide and Youssef En-Nesyri was denied only by a last-ditch James Tavernier tackle in the dying embers of normal time.

Vaclav Cerny was Rangers' main threat throughout, taking defenders on at will and forcing several saves from visiting goalkeeper Irfan Can Egribayat.

However, neither side could find a decisive goal before the 90 minutes were up and, although Cerny and Tavernier went close for Rangers in extra time, spot kicks were needed to decide the tie.

Tavernier, Cerny and Tom Lawrence converted for the hosts in the shootout, setting up a meeting with Athletic Bilbao in the last eight after the Spanish outfit overcame Roma.

It is the first time Rangers have lost four successive home matches in their history, but the overriding emotion was that of joy and relief at Ibrox after Ferguson's players held their nerve.

 
Made hard work of that, looked really nervous for large parts of the game but great penalties to finish the game off.

 
Congratulations to Rangers, well done.

I was too thinking how José and Ancelotti's careers have gone so differently recently. Carlo winning CL at RM and José looking tired and worn out at Fenerbache . .. Don't know how he's doing in the Turkish League, but what a terrific and charismatic manager he was for us.

 
Fenerbache is 2nd 10 points behind Galatasaray and 11 points ahead of third place.



 
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Hamza Igamane's stunning late strike gave Rangers derby victory over Celtic

Kheredine Idessane

BBC Sport Scotland at Celtic Park

Rangers enjoyed a second bout of raucous celebrations in four days as Hamza Igamane's stunning late strike administered Celtic's first Scottish Premiership home defeat since December 2023.

Barry Ferguson's side had roared into a two-goal half-time lead after Nico Raskin's early flicked header and Mohamed Diomande's low shot.

However, as the effects of Thursday's epic Europa League win over Fenerbahce began to tell, title-chasing Celtic hit back with Daizen Maeda's towering header and and Reo Hatate's slotted finish.

That set up a frantic finale, in which it seemed the league leaders had the momentum, but it was Rangers who found the decisive goal.

Igamane profited from Alistair Johnston's slip to lash in an outrageous winner to give the Ibrox side their first victory at Celtic Park since 2020.

The success moves Rangers to within 13 points of their Glasgow rivals, who now may have to wait until after the Premiership splits next month to clinch the title.

A superb, high-energy first-half performance from Rangers threatened to blow their hosts away, as they exploited the injury-enforced absences of Celtic captain Callum McGregor and centre-backs Auston Trusty and Liam Scales.

That meant Maik Nawrocki came in for his first start of the season, having had just 23 minutes of cup football this term.

And the recast defence took just four minutes to concede when Raskin got above Jeffrey Schlupp to flick in James Tavernier's corner.

By the time Diomande, unmarked inside the box, found Kasper Schmeichel's right-hand corner just before the break, Rangers could have been even further ahead.

Unusually edgy goalkeeper Schmeichel had earlier passed straight to Vaclav Cerny, only for the Czech international to delay shooting and waste the chance.

Two down at the interval, Celtic needed to respond positively and they did.

Maeda, shifted to the flank to accommodate the interval introduction of Adam Idah, leapt high above Tavernier to head in Jota's cross just after the restart.

A well-worked team goal then drew Brendan Rodgers' side level, when Luke McCowan set up Hatate to slip a finish across Jack Butland and into the net.

It looked like the reigning champions could go on and secure the comeback win that would leave them just two victories from retaining the title.

But instead it was Igamane who struck, condemning Celtic to a first domestic home defeat since the league loss to Hearts in December 2023.

 
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Cyriel Dessers' deft finish secured Rangers victory in a chaotic seven-goal thriller

Nick McPheat

BBC Sport Scotland

Dundee 3-4 Rangers

Cyriel Dessers' dramatic 93rd-minute winner sealed an incredible comeback victory for Rangers as they fought back from two down to win a seven-goal Scottish Premiership classic over Dundee.

With Barry Ferguson's side 3-1 down on the 75th minute, long-range strikes from captain James Tavernier and substitute Tom Lawrence dragged the visitors level before Dessers eventually found the net after being denied on multiple occasions.

Both teams went into the fixture buoyed by derby triumphs in their previous outings, but it was Tony Docherty's men who sparked an enthralling encounter when Simon Murray cushioned in a delightful finish from a corner within two minutes.

And, after Dessers had passed up his first two clear-cut chances, Joe Shaughnessy bundled in following a calamitous error from goalkeeper Jack Butland to put rattled Rangers 2-0 down for the fifth time in seven games.

Finlay Robertson then had a strike disallowed for an earlier foul before Shaughnessy sliced a Tavernier cross into his own net to ignite a potential comeback.

Any hopes of that looked dead when Scott Tiffoney smashed in a devastating third from 20 yards shortly after Dessers was denied by the video assistant referee (VAR) for a narrow offside.

However, Tavernier and Lawrence both drilled in a beauties of their own within six minutes of each other before Dessers sparked absolute bedlam in the away end and dugout by lofting a close-range finish over goalkeeper Trevor Carson.

There was still time for Dundee captain Murray to rattle the left-hand post in an extraordinary finale, but Docherty's side, who remain 11th, ended a remarkable match with zero points after looking destined for three.

What else can be said about Dessers?Dessers is bordering on being indescribable. He had 12 shots at Dens Park - the highest total for a player in the Premiership this season.

All 12 of them were in the opposition box. Nine of them were on target. And that does not include his finish that was ruled out for offside.

The striker decided to save the one that counted for the 93rd minute. The best and the worst of the Nigerian was well and truly on show. Of course, he has to be more ruthless. But his character is admirable.

Overall, it goes without saying that Rangers, who looked vulnerable throughout, cannot continue going two goals behind.

Indeed, it could have been worse, with Dundee's Tiffoney putting a glorious chance wide and Oluwaseun Adewumi smashing a post.

However, Ferguson has brought some resilience to this side, who have shown in recent games they are far better at responding to adversity.

Box-office Dundee must sort defenceWhen you watch Dundee, you know you are going to be entertained. Sadly for manager Docherty, that is not a positive thing for him most of the time.

Only Celtic and Rangers have scored more Premiership goals than Dundee this term, but they have shipped a league high of 67. Bottom side St Johnstone have conceded 10 fewer.

The front three of Murray, Tiffoney and Adewumi are good enough to have Dundee comfortably in the top half, but defensive issues continue to plague Docherty's men.

If that is not addressed in the final stretch of league games, the Dens Park side could find themselves in real trouble.

 
I mean, it’s definitely entertaining under Barry don’t know if it’s good for the old ticker though!

 
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Liam Kelly saved Alex Berenguer's penalty in a dramatic finale.

Ten-man Rangers produced a heroic performance to retain a fighting chance of Europa League progression, with Liam Kelly's late penalty save decisive in earning an unlikely draw with Athletic Bilbao.

The Spanish side arrived in Glasgow as favourites with Rangers under pressure off the back of a record five consecutive defeats at home.

Their cause seemed doomed when Robin Propper was adjudged to have brought down Inaki Williams. After a video assistant referee (VAR) intervention, as last man, his yellow card turned red after just 13 minutes.

Rangers, though, held firm - and survived a number of scares - before substitute Alex Berenguer stepped up to take the most controversial of late penalties, but Kelly diverted the ball over with his leg to the delight of the home crowd.

The omission of Jack Butland in goal after what head coach Barry Ferguson described as "one of the toughest things I've had to do", with Kelly in from the start, was such a big call on such a massive occasion. For him to emerge as the hero was full justification.

Starting Kelly and 18-year-old midfielder Bailey Rice among six changes from the defeat by Hibernian last weekend showed Ferguson was true to his word to be decisive following another domestic downfall.

Athletic Club clearly bring threat and Maroan Sannadi had already shown that before Rangers' suffered that disastrous early setback.

Propper's challenge on Williams was rash and, as last man, it is hard to argue his overturned yellow card did not merit a red.

It looked like Rangers' troubles were far from over, but yet again they mustered another memorable European performance to stay in the tie, with Ferguson saying the "few home truths" he had with his players had "sunk in".

Sannadi was a constant threat until substituted. Early in the second half, he went down under Leon Balogun's challenge, was booked but seemed to have a case for a penalty. It was a big let-off.

As it was moments later when Sannadi stretched to reach Inaki Williams' sharp cross and, with the goal gaping, and Kelly completely exposed, the striker blazed just wide.

The visitors repeatedly pushed and thought they had the opener when Berenguer fired home from close range.

Confusion reigned all around Ibrox as VAR intervened, offside was given to rule out the strike, but then a twist as Dujon Sterling was penalised for the slightest of handballs in the build-up.

It was to be Kelly's big moment. He stuck up a leg as he dived to his right and clipped the ball over the bar to Berenguer's dismay.

Big ties demand big moments and they do not come much bigger as Rangers survived mounting pressure to earn a memorable outcome.

 
Some comeback today at Pittodrie.

The very very late equaliser, of course, denying (fully accept it’s simply merely delaying) Celtic their title celebrations.

 
Big game tomorrow night. Will be tough but I'll settle for a scrappy 1-0 win for Rangers.

 
Got a lot more faith in this squad in the EL than I do in the SPL for some reason, can see a 2-1 grinded out win.

 
Ridiculous that a penalty wasn't given for the pull on Dessers. Had his shirt torn by the Bilbao defender.

 
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