SECOND-HALF goals from Matteo Politano, Giacomo Raspadori and Tanguy Ndombele secured all three Group A points for Napoli on what proved to be a dramatic night at Ibrox Stadium.
The Champions League matchday two fixture is one that will few forget, especially Allan McGregor who returned to the Light Blues’ starting eleven to make his second start of the 2022/23 season.
The 40-year-old goalkeeper made not one, but two penalty saves to deny Piotr Zielinski after the break, the second after VAR had ordered a retake from the first. This came after a tackle from James Sands on Simeone, which resulted in the United States defender being shown a red card.
Spanish referee Mateu Lahoz then awarded a third penalty of the evening when Borna Barisic was adjudged to have used his arm to block a shot by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
This time Politano was the taker and he made no mistake to open the scoring for the visitors, who went on to double their advantage through substitute Raspadori with five minutes of the game remaining.
Another sub, Tanguy Ndombele, then completed the scoring in injury time, the number 91 slamming the ball home to the disappointment of a packed Ibrox who had watched their side put a lot into the game.
Prior to kick-off a moment of silence was perfectly observed in commemoration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, followed by a rousing rendition of God Save the King. Supporters in the Broomloan Stand also created a stunning Union Jack card display before the players took their positions around the centre circle.
Within two minutes of the action starting, both teams came close to taking an early lead. Rangers were first when Alfredo Morelos found space in the box but he could only head wide after James Tavernier had delivered a teasing cross from the right flank.
At the other end, Napoli pushed forward with menace and their talented number 20, Zielinski, curled a left-foot shot from 20 yards which clipped the outside of Allan McGregor’s right-hand post.
With both teams intent on driving forward it was clear this was going to be a fascinating and open battle.
On 13 minutes Borna Barisic cut an excellent ball inside to Scott Arfield who had found acres of space midway in Napoli’s half. He decided to let fly from distance and the visitor’s Alex Meret had to make an impressive save.
If that was good, Rangers’ number one McGregor then had to make a fine stop, using his legs to deny striker Giovanne Simeone after he used his explosive pace to burst in behind the home side’s backline.
It was end-to-end stuff for fans to enjoy at this point and next up to get in a shooting position was Morelos, but his low, left-foot effort lacked power and Meret got down to his left and easily gathered the ball.
Rangers were working hard and defending well, which was highlighted in the 37th minute when a wicked, bouncing free-kick delivery from Zielinski was brilliantly headed over the bar by Connor Goldson with two Napoli players waiting behind him to take advantage of any lapse in concentration.
At half-time the game was goalless which was a surprising given the number of chances both teams created throughout an entertaining first forty-five.
With no changes to personnel for the restart and Rangers now shooting towards the Copland end of Ibrox, the home support got behind their side once again and the players responded.
A minute in a deep cross from the left was nodded back into the danger area from Tavernier but Arfield could only skew a first-time effort well wide of target.
As happened at the start of the match, Napoli then found themselves in a shooting position, with a powerful effort from Kvaratskhelia straight at McGregor at his near post.
Napoli were now asking questions and they were rewarded for their pressure on 55 minutes when Simeone sprinted clear through on goal and Sands was adjudged to have brought down the forward as he was about to shoot.
Referee Mateu Lahoz produced a second yellow card to the American after he had pointed to the penalty spot.
Zielinski stepped up and McGregor dived to his right to make a fine stop. Politano, however, was there to fire in the rebound from a tight angle to silence the Ibrox faithful.
The drama was not over though. After thinking their side were behind, VAR decided McGregor had come off his line when the penalty was taken and the referee ordered a retake.
Zielinski had another chance score for his side but again McGregor was there to make a second sensational save.
On 67 minutes this incredible game took yet another twist, when Napoli were awarded another penalty, with Barisic blocking a shot from Kvaratskhelia with his arm a close range.
This time it was Politano who was given the chance to score from 12 yards and he did just that, sliding the ball into the bottom corner of McGregor’s goal and inside his left post.
Napoli doubled their advantage with five minutes of the 90 remaining with substitute Raspadori slotting past McGregor after exchanging passes with Mathias Olivera.
With the game now over, the visitors added a third with 91 minutes on the clock – Tanguy Ndombele firing home from 10 yards after receiving a clever cut-back assist.
It was a disappointing end to a match Rangers had put so much effort into, but Napoli’s ruthless finishing in the final third ensured they claimed all three Group A points.
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