Rangers and PSV Eindhoven played out an enthralling 2-2 draw at Ibrox in the first leg of their Champions League play-off but Giovanni van Bronckhorst will be left furious at the two goals his side conceded.
PSV, managed by Ruud van Nistelrooy, created the better opportunities and the home side had John McLaughlin to thank for keeping them in the tie, but two sloppy set pieces saw them concede two avoidable goals. The opener saw Connor Goldson fail to clear and the ball fell to Ibrahim Sangarre from a corner and he found the net as he swung a left foot in hope rather than expectation.
PSV fully deserved their lead, having completely taken the sting out of a Rangers team who have relied on this Ibrox atmosphere to drag them through on so many occasions. Two-time Champions League winner Sir Alex Ferguson was in attendance at this famous old ground and he watched on as one of his most famous former players managed to cope with the atmosphere on the touchline.
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Van Nistelrooy would have been made aware of how impactful this crowd can be and as it looked like the Dutch side were going to take an important lead back into the dressing room, Rangers came alive. They were resuscitated by Antonio Colak’s strike which came just four minutes after the Glasgow side had gone behind. Steven Davis picked out a perfect pass to put James Tavernier in on the right channel and the captain pulled the ball back for Colak to sweep home.
The Croatian has now scored in his last four appearances and when it looked like the tie had fallen away from them, they were back in business. Colak denied again at the start of the second half and then 21-year-old winger Ismael Saibar came within inches of restoring the away side's lead as he raced onto a flick-on, beat his man but could only poke the ball past the post, when he looked certain to score. McLaughlin made another smart stop as Rangers held on, and then they were gifted the lead.
Tom Lawrence lined up a free-kick from distance and he struck a knuckleball towards goal that bounced in front of Walter Benitez and the Argentine had a nightmare. In an awkward position he spilt the ball over his own line, to the delight of the majority of the crowd packed inside Ibrox. It was the touch of fortune that they needed, and on European nights like this, fortune they tend to get.
But PSV struck back, and Rangers’ failure to deal with set pieces cost them again. This time Armando Obispo rose highest from a corner and crashed his header in off the bar. Although he was given slightly too much space, it was a piece of ruthless finishing from the defender that his forwards simply had not shown at Ibrox and having got themselves in front, the Glaswegians will be furious at this concession.
In eight days time we will find out the true impact of this 2-2 draw, but you have to feel as if PSV will be delighted to escape from Ibrox with the scores level. This stadium has destroyed teams in the past, especially on European nights, and the Dutch have come away with their noses bloodied, but having landed a few key strikes of their own.
Van Nistelrooy will be delighted, his countryman less so. But Rangers did it in Dortmund, and they will have to pull off something spectacular next week to reach the Champions League group stages. The two Dutch icons will meet again in eight days' time. Only one of them will be managing a Champions League side at the end of it.
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