RANGERS fell to a 5-2 defeat against a strong Inter Milan side in a pre-season friendly this evening.
After competing in large parts of the first half and having chances themselves in the opening 45 minutes, an Elisa Bartolli header and own goal right on half time saw the Gers go two behind at the interval. Three further goals followed but the Gers showed character late on with strikes from substitute Laura Berry and Katie Wilkinson finding the back of the net as they got more minutes under their belt in the midst of a three-game week in preparation for the new SWPL season.
The side faced off against last season’s Serie A runners-up in what looked pre-match to be a stern test for the Gers. From the weekend’s victory over Middlesbrough in their first pre-season outing, Craig McPherson named four changes as Telma Ivarsdottir, Brogan Hay, Fallon Connolly-Jackson and Alice Griffiths all came into the side, with the latter pair making their first starts for the club.
It proved to be a stern test in the warm weather conditions in the north of the country prior to kick off. It was the hosts who started lively as they signaled their attacking intent from the off. They got a lot of joy down the left in sustaining moves forward, winger Haley Bugeja cut inside off the left, but her effort was well held by Ivarsdottir between the Gers posts.
Rangers did look to be a threat on the break themselves early on. A pass from the left side almost found Kirsty Howat who was breaking through on goal, but defender Sanz Ivana was round on the cover to put a stop to the Gers attack.
Inter went close on a couple of occasions but were denied by the woodwork. Firstly, after good play down the right the ball was cut back for striker Elisa Polli, she helped it on to Marie Magull but her shot came back off the post.
Moments later, this time from the left, it was Bugeja who again was involved, she met a cross at the back post but the bar then kept the effort out this time before Ivarsdottir gathered.
Last season’s top goalscorer Katie Wilkinson did go close for the Gers on two occasions. In the first instance it was well worked down the left involving Jodi McLeary and Lizzie Arnot, the pair then found Howat who looked for her strike partner, but her shot was straight at Runarsdottir in the Inter goal, before a header from the striker looped wide in the next attack minutes later.
Inter continued to probe and got their reward. A great run from captain Henrietta Csiszar saw her carry the ball over 40 yards from the middle of the pitch, she played in Bugeja but the Rangers keeper was level to the effort. After another good save from a shot from the captain minutes later, a corner resulted in the opener. A delivery from the left was met by centre-back Elisa Bartolli, who headed it into the ground and opened the scoring.
Rangers did have a good spell before the half time interval. A chance broke for Howat inside the box, but her left footed effort flew over the top of the bar.
In far from ideal timing, Inter doubled their lead right on the half time mark. Following good play down the right from Bendetta Glionna, she found herself well placed to cut the ball back as the unfortunate Leah Eddie turned the ball into her own net.
Inter made several changes at the break and again started fast. After hitting the post with a header just seconds after the restart, they did add a third shortly afterwards. A through ball was latched onto substitute Martina Romanelli, she rounded Ivarsdottir and put the ball into the net to make it 3-0.
Rangers thought they should have had a penalty not long after the restart. After winning the ball high, Mia McAulay nicked the ball and was seemingly fouled by Lidia Consolini, but the referee waved away the appeals much to the Gers frustrations.
Substitute Marie Detruyer then converted from the spot to make it 4-0, before Kullalashi volleyed home a fifth as the hosts really showed their quality throughout the second half.
The Light Blues did show character in the latter stages of the game despite the scoreline. Firstly substitute Laura Berry made an instant impact after coming on as she cooly converted beyond the goalkeeper into the far corner before Wilkinson doubled Rangers’ tally for the evening.
Ending 5-2, the Gers will look to take a lot from facing off against a top Italian side, as they now ready themselves to take on AC Milan in another friendly this Saturday evening.
INTER MILAN: Runarsdottir, Ivana (Pleidrup,45) , Bugeja (Santi, 45), Polli (Kullashi, 55), Magull, Robustellini, Tomasevic (Romanelli, 45), Glionna (Consolini, 45), Milkinovic (Detruyer, 45) Csiszar (Vilhjalmsdottir, 42), Bartolli (Bowen, 45)
SUBS: Piazza, Merlo, Tomaselli, Giudici,
RANGERS: Ivarsdottir, Docherty, Eddie (Boyce, 45), Hay (Black, 81), Howat (Berry, 59), McAulay (Townsley, 81), Arnot, Griffiths (Cruft, 59), McLeary, Connolly-Jackson, Wilkinson
SUBS: Fife