Cyriel Dessers’ dramatic 94th-minute equaliser earned Rangers a vital first-leg draw with Dynamo Kyiv of their Champions League qualifier.
The end result was deserved – and far wanted after they drew a clean in Scottish Premiership opener towards Hearts – with the tie now finely poised forward of subsequent week’s second leg in Glasgow.
Dynamo, who hammered Partizan Belgrade 9-2 within the earlier spherical, took the lead by means of Andriy Yarmolenko after Tom Lawrence and Ross McCausland had threatened for Rangers.
With time working out, Dessers stabbed house Vaclav Cerney’s cross to attain what might show to be a priceless aim in Poland.
The winners of the tie will face both RB Salzburg or FC Twente for a spot on this season’s Champions League group stage.
Disappointment to thrill
Dessers scored with the final kick of the sport
Philippe Clement is within the midst of an enormous rebuild at Ibrox, and Champions League cash is essential, however he and the Gers followers know enchancment is required.
It was a good begin from the Ibrox facet with midfielder Lawrence and Dessers each having efforts saved by goalkeeper Georgiy Bushchan.
On the different finish, Vladyslav Vanat headed into the web after Gers keeper Jack Butland had spilled a drive from Kostian Vivcharenko however the offside flag was up, to the reduction of the Gers camp.
Rangers’ Tom Lawrence (centre) has a shot at aim
Rangers hit again and winger McCausland curled a shot from 22 yards off the submit, earlier than Butland made a superb save from Oleksandr Pikhalyonok’s drive from distance.
They loved one other good spell of play, however a mistake by Ridvan Yilmaz proved pricey.
The Turkish defender carelessly misplaced possession in the course of the park and when the ball was fed into Vanat contained in the field, he crossed for 34-year-old former West Ham attacker Yarmolenko to seek out the empty internet from three yards.
It was the sloppiest of objectives to lose.
Dynamo’s Andriy Yarmolenko scores the opening aim of the tie
Simply earlier than the break, Dessers hit the ‘keeper with a header from point-blank vary and would have been joyful to have been dominated offside.
New Brazilian signing Jefte changed the ineffective Scott Wright for the beginning of the second half to make his debut and his terrific cross from the left was met by Dessers, however his glancing header was nicely saved by the stretching Bushchan for a nook which got here to nothing.
New signing Cerny changed McCausland on the hour and the play continued to swing from finish to finish.
Rangers completed the sport strongly sufficient nevertheless it seemed like they must settle for a slender defeat till the enigmatic Dessers nipped in on the entrance submit to place away Cerny’s inviting cross for what could possibly be a vital aim.
Clement: Dessers saved believing
Cyriel Dessers equalised with the final kick of the sport
Rangers supervisor Philippe Clement spoke to BBC Scotland:
“We had six shots on target, they had three. We kept on pushing until the end to get the result and I’m happy about that because we want this mentality – to work until the last second, to keep on going and believing.
“We have now a number of new gamers now, younger gamers, they usually did it. Vaclav [Cerny] had an vital help. Cyriel [Dessers] additionally saved pushing to get the aim.
“He had a few chances that he finished well and the goalkeeper saved. He kept on believing and I’m happy for him that he scored.
“In the event you examine him to seven months in the past, he does rather more for the crew.
“Maybe people have a perception of him, but I know that no defenders like to play against him. He’s only growing. That’s what we want.
“They took the teachings nicely. We’re on this rebuild. It’s totally constructive to get the end result we bought in the present day, and with the health of gamers like Vaclav [Cerny] popping out of vacation, Dujon [Sterling] popping out of damage.”
VAR officials changed after reports of arrests
UEFA changed two officers for the Champions League third-round qualifier first-leg amid studies of improper behaviour.
VAR Bartosz Frankowski and assistant Tomasz Musial had been eliminated, with Tomasz Kwiatkowski and Pawel Malec taking their locations.
It adopted studies in Poland that Frankowski and Musial had been arrested after being drunk and seen carrying a road signal down a street, together with a 3rd particular person.
The reported incident came about in Poland – the place the sport was performed, as Kyiv are unable to play matches in Ukraine as a result of ongoing battle.
What’s arising for Rangers?
