UEFA has one less thing to worry about now.Rangers’ Premiership title hopes may benefit from not having to worry about the Europa League after Rafa Silva’s 67th-minute goal knocked them out. However, Philippe Clement may be reluctant to concede this. While the 2022 finalists and their thousands of fans would have loved nothing more than to cause a major logistical headache for European football’s governing body – and most likely the Irish gardai – by marching to this year’s competition climax in Dublin, the reality is that this Ibrox line-up has more pressing issues.
Due to an injury list, manager Clement was forced to start Cyriel Dessers, who has not to score in five games. The fact that perennial fringe player Scott Wright was thrown in to start the most difficult night of the Light Blues’ season so far was another indicator of the strain that contending on four fronts has put on the Premiership leaders. A day that began with Jack Butland’s disappointment at being left out of the England team finished with a further dose of anguish when Rafa Silva remained onside by millimetres to blast past the Ibrox No.1.
Rangers simply would not have made it this far without Butland’s heroics in goal. But even he couldn’t sustain a fantastic run on a tense, tight, nervous night when fatigue was beginning to show in the home ranks. It was a rainy night as Ibrox was soaked by a continuous rainfall. When it comes to Clement’s injuries, it never rains, but it pours for the Belgian as well.
Dujon Sterling was ruled out due to a hamstring issue sustained at Easter Road, while Ross McCausland, who limped off after replacing the utility man in Leith, was only healthy enough to sit on the bench. Wright made his first start since being replaced at halftime during last month’s triumph against St Johnstone. Todd Cantwell’s last game was in Perth, but after four weeks away, the playmaker was finally available – albeit just for a bench spot.
Roger Schmidt’s Benfica were back to full strength after the German rested many key players, including World Cup winners Angel Di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi, for Sunday’s domestic victory over Estoril. It was another major test for this Gers lineup, and the fans responded by producing an atmosphere appropriate for the occasion. The roar was booming around the old place well before the game began, but if anything, the raucous atmosphere only helped to hurry Rangers during a rocky start.
Mohamed Diomande, John Lundstram, and Fabio Silva were all way too eager to get passes off early on when cooler heads were required. Meanwhile, the Portuguese guests went about their business calmly, oblivious to the deafening noise around them. There were few chances in the first half, but the game was nevertheless intriguing.
John Souttar detected danger and cut it off. Lundstram follows suit. Even if he didn’t, Diomande did. However, the Benfica backline remained vigilant, stepping in to cut off Dessers’ supply on several occasions. When they didn’t, the singer teed up Wright, but his 25-yard shot went over.
Ibrox held its breath, though, as a rare Lundstram error was almost punished. Di Maria sprinted down the right, but Connor Goldson and James Tavernier eventually stopped Rafa Silva at the back post. Dessers had only five touches in the first half, but his first in the second nearly led to the opening goal. Wright led the charge in the middle, and Dessers cut inside Antonio Silva, but a touch from Fredrik Aursnes sent the ball wide.Antiono Silva watched with anxiety as a Tavernier cross bounced off his hip and crept wide as he fought with the Ibrox .Rangers replied to the rising volume by pouring forward. However, Benfica’s threat on the counter was highlighted as the Eagles raced forward, with Casper Tengstedt firing directly at Butland.
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