RANGERS B fell to a narrow 3-1 defeat to AS Monaco B at Ibrox this afternoon.
The young Gers were punished for a sequence of early missed chances as the French side raced out to a flattering 3-0 lead inside the opening half-hour, before Paul Nsio reduced the deficit before the half-time interval.
The hosts enjoyed the better of the second period in a rain-soaked Govan, but they were unable to eat further into Monaco’s lead as they reflected on a testing 90 minutes, both physically and tactically, in front of supporters at Ibrox.
David McCallum named a youthful side for the visit of the French outfit, with the average age of the squad – excluding the trialist – sitting at 17.7 owing to the involvement of several 2006 and 2007-born players.
It was a positive opening few minutes for the Light Blues as they threatened the Monaco goal twice in quick succession. Chris Eadie was first to go close when he attempted to latch onto Archie Stevens’ driven delivery across the face of goal but the ball fizzed beyond the young striker.
Robbie Fraser then collected the loose ball on the left-hand side of the penalty area, picking out the late run of Paul Nsio who flicked a deft finish only inches wide of the far post.
The young Gers ought to have broken the deadlock on seven minutes when the trialist pounced on a mix-up in the Monaco defensive ranks, although goalkeeper Yan Lienard was alert to the danger to thwart the strike with his legs.
The visitors would punish Rangers’ profligacy before the contest had ticked beyond the quarter-hour mark. The Gers looked to have escaped the danger when Lucas Michal’s effort crashed off the post, but Malamine Efekele reacted first to knock home the rebound from close range.
The Monegasque side quickly doubled their advantage two minutes later as Michal turned scorer this time by latching onto a pinpoint through pass and producing a curling finish into the far corner.
Leon King came close to halving the deficit moments later as he arrowed a first-time volley from the second phase of a free-kick towards goal, but Lienard was equal to the 19-year-old’s effort.
Monaco then further stretched their advantage by adding a third goal of the afternoon. Efekele met Michal’s cross from the left and, despite the best efforts of Mason Munn who produced a fantastic initial save, the forward forced the rebound under the body of the 17-year-old.
The Gers never allowed their heads to drop, however, as they fashioned another opportunity when King’s header from an Arron Lyall free-kick was met by Eadie, but the 16-year-old could not divert the ball towards goal at full stretch.
McCallum’s young side were soon rewarded for their attacking persistence as they reduced the arrears on 34 minutes. The ball was moved left to Fraser whose first-time arrowed cross was weighted to perfection, allowing Nsio to stride onto the ball and stroke his finish into the bottom corner.
Munn was prompted into action minutes into the second period when Maysam Benama’s powerful free-kick required the Northern Irishman to palm the ball to safety.
There was still plenty of encouragement for Rangers as they pushed for a second goal of the afternoon. Stevens burst into the penalty area following a clever through ball from Devine down the right touchline, quickly joined in support by the trialist who lashed an effort wide of the target after the ball broke kindly to him.
The Englishman, who will represent England at Under-18s level later this month, was once again involved in the action moments later, swivelling smartly on the edge of the penalty area before his left-footed effort sailed over the crossbar.
Monaco, however, were prepared to put bodies on the line to preserve their two-goal advantage, encapsulated by Jules Bery’s last-ditch sliding challenge as Stevens sprung the offside trap and looked to pull the trigger.
King stung the palms of Lienard from 25 yards out as Rangers ratcheted up the pressure, with a succession of set-pieces failing to amount to substantial pressure on the Monaco goal as the match ticked towards its conclusion.
Referee Grant Irvine soon brought to the game to an end, with the young Gers showing their appreciation to the supporters who braved the extreme weather at full-time.
RANGERS B: Munn, Devine, King, Allen (Grant, 35), Fraser, Lyall (Curtis, 60), Nsio, Allan, Trialist (Robertson, 89), Stevens, Eadie (Newton, 75)
Subs not used: Halliwell, Hutton, McInally, McClure
AS MONACO B: Lienard, Babai, Okou (Patret, 45), Yalme, Bery, Benama (Yakoub, 79), Bouabre (Baranik, 65), Bamba, Efekele (Coulibaly, 79), Ben Seghir (Baglieri, 45), Michal (Bertolucci, 85)
Subs not used: Zadi
REFEREE: Grant Irvine