Match Report: Gers Qualify With Sparta Win

RANGERS have secured knockout, Europa League football for a third-successive season as they got the Giovanni van Bronckhorst era off to a winning start.

Gers’ 2-0 win thanks to an Alfredo Morelos double, coupled with Lyon’s 3-1 win at Brondby means the Light Blues cannot be caught in second place, and they can look forward now to next month’s draw.

From the team which played on Sunday, Calvin Bassey came in for Leon Balogun, while Ianis Hagi replaced Scott Arfield.

That meant it was a back five of Allan McGregor in goal with captain James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Bassey and Borna Barisic in front of him.

Glen Kamara, Steven Davis and Joe Aribo were in midfield, while Hagi, Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos were in attack.

Gers came close with incredibly just 10 seconds on the clock – Morelos was released down the right to cross for the incoming Ryan Kent, but goalkeeper Dominik Holec was smart off his line to intercept.

The sixth minute then saw the home side hit the bar through Aribo. Wonderful play from Kent saw him ghost into the area and cut it back for the Nigerian international to smack the crossbar with a curling drive.

It was such a bright start for Rangers, and that was to pay off on 15 minutes, with Alfredo Morelos netting his record-extending 26th European goal for the club at the end of a super move.

James Tavernier’s through ball was expertly turned into the path of Morelos by Ianis Hagi on the slide, and the Colombian added the finishing touches from 15-yards for the first goal of the van Bronckhorst era.

It was no more than the Light Blues deserved, and a fervent Ibrox was almost celebrating another on 23 minutes with Hagi again being the provider with a ball from the right that Aribo couldn’t fully control meaning he put it just over.

Sparta showed they were carrying a threat, though, and McGregor saved well at his front post with his foot from Martin Minchev, but Gers were hugely impressive here, showing super energy on and off the ball, with the front three in particular possessing some excellent fluidity in their movement.

A slip in defence allowed Ryan Kent the opportunity for a second three minutes into the second half, but he curled wide.

From the resulting goal-kick, however, the second did arrive in bizarre fashion. Holec played a short goal-kick wide to Filip Panak, who inexplicably crossed the ball back into the area where the alert Alfredo Morelos was there to fire home.

It was the cushion the home side craved, however, and it ought to have been 3-0 soon after as Kent was put through but only shoot straight at Holec.

Holec then denied Morelos his hat-trick when he was fed by Aribo, while Aribo lofted one over Holec when Kent provided for him as the home side continued to carry such a threat going forward.

Sparta should have had one back when sub Adam Karabec nodded only into the side-netting at the back post before Allan McGregor pulled off the most remarkable double save, firstly from David Pavelka, and then from Matej Pulkrab – the first was him flying through the air, and the second a phenomenal boot off the line with his outstretched foot.

Gers now look forward to the draw on December 13.

RANGERS: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Bassey, Barisic, Kamara, Davis (Lundstram, 89), Aribo (Arfield, 81), Kent (Fashion Jr, 81), Morelos, Hagi (Patterson, 66).

SUBS: McLaughlin, McCrorie, Bacuna, Jack, Kelly, King, Wright.

AC SPARTA PRAHA: Holec, Pavelka, Krejcl (Karabec, 59), Minchev (Dockal, 59), Sacek, Hlozek (Pulkrab, 85), Haraslin (Moberg-Karlsson 59), Panak, Wiesner, Hancko, Krejcl.

SUBS: Nita, Heca, Gabriel, Drchal, Vindeim, Vitik.

REFEREE: Danny Makkelie

ATTENDANCE: 48,370

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