It has been reported that Advocaat could step aside as soon as a new coach suitable for the job is identified and with the Final of the CIS Cup to be held early next year the League Cup could be his parting present.
He moved one step closer to achieving that at Victoria Park, Dingwall tonight but only just. Goals from Shota Arveladze and Claudio Reyna had seemingly put Gers on easy street against Ross County to book a place in the last four of the competition. Until the last minute, that was.
The Highlanders had offered very little throughout the game but in the last 60 seconds of the match they could have gained the upperhand. Substitute Steven Mackay pulled one back but, as the Rangers fans waited for the final whistle, Lorenzo Amoruso was dismissed and County awarded a spot-kick after the Italian was adjudged to have kicked Conor Gethins.
Ian Maxwell stepped up knowing a goal would take the tie into extra time and give the home side a one-man advantage for half an hour but thankfully Stefan Klos came to the rescue with a wonder save from the County skipper.
The League Cup is at times taken lightly but with Rangers now 10 points behind SPL leaders Celtic following Sunday’s Old Firm defeat and their European tie with Paris Saint-Germain hanging in the balance, Advocaat was always going to take this match serious.
In fact, he even chose to fly his squad to Dingwall such was the seriousness of his preparations and one look at his starting line-up confirmed that he wanted to win this match, especially given the tough time they got at Victoria Park in the Scottish Cup last season.
All the big names were in attendance, however, there was one notable absentee. Bert Konterman was left out of the manager’s starting 11 for the first time this season, injury ruling him the only other time he failed to appear, ironically, in the last round of the CIS Cup against Airdrie.
Advocaat also switched his tactics, opting for a 4-4-2 formation in which Michael Ball kept his place despite his bust-up with the boss at Parkhead on Sunday. The Englishman played on the left-hand side of a back four with Maurice Ross on the right and Lorenzo Amoruso and Scott Wilson in the middle.
Captain Barry Ferguson, who scored the winner in a 3-2 thriller at Victoria Park last season, took his place in central midfield alongside Reyna with Peter Lovenkrands on the left and Ronald de Boer on the right. Arveladze partnered Claudio Caniggia up front.
And Advocaat had drummed it into his players that this game had to be taken seriously then his players certainly listened. They were up for it straight from kick-off and took just 14 minutes to fire themselves in front.
Arveladze did well on the left-hand side and he played a great pass to put Lovenkrands through on the goalkeeper. The Dane rounded the ‘keeper and looked odds-on for his second goal in four days following his Old Firm strike.
But he dragged the ball wide, making the angle too acute to score from, however, he intelligently waited for Arveladze to make his way into the box before squaring to the Georgian who had the simple task of tapping home to make it 1-0.
That goal keeps up the former Ajax’s man phenomenal scoring record since his £2 million move from the Dutch cracks, he has now scored seven goals in eight appearances, and it takes his tally to three in this competition in only two appearances.
And five minutes later Rangers almost doubled their lead. Reyna beat Mark Perry for pace on the right-hand side before crossing the ball into Caniggia. The Argentinian teed up De Boer who hit a great effort on target only for Tony Bullock to pull off a great save.
But it wasn’t long before the Light Blues did make it 2-0. Ball took a throw-in on the left-hand side, De Boer head-flicked it on into Reyna’s path and the American fired in a 20-yard thunderbolt which flew into the back of the net, albeit via a deflection.
Ross County became frustrated by their lack of involvement in the game and in the 32nd minute things became a little heated. Steven Hislop couldn’t believe the opportunity he had when the striker was presented with the ball about four yards out and with only Stefan Klos to beat.
But when the German ‘keeper spilled Hislop’s effort after making a tremendous point-blank save the County striker followed up and left his foot in on Klos. That resulted in a booking for the home player and Ross also received a yellow card from John Rowbotham for protesting.
Advocaat switched things around just before the hour mark, bringing on Michael Mols and Russell Latapy in place of De Boer and Lovenkrands and Konterman was given the last 20 minutes at the expense of Caniggia.
There have been question marks over the fitness of Mols in recent weeks, he couldn’t even find a place on the bench for Sunday’s Old Firm tie. But his quick feet are certainly still in place and he showed that in the 75th minute as he weaved his way through the Ross County defence.
The Dutchman beat three defenders and just as he was about to pull the trigger, defender Sean Webb made a vital saving challenge. Moments later Mols came even closer when his effort from a Latapy cross just sailed over the bar.
At that point it looked as if Rangers were ready to easy their way through the remainder of the game before Ross County struck once but – thanks to Klos – not twice.
ROSS COUNTY: Bullock, Perry (Mackay 86), Hastings, Maxwell, Irvine, Webb, Cowie, Boukraa (McCormick 76), Bone (Gethins 80), Hislop, Robertson Subs (not used): Anselin, Gonet
RANGERS: Klos, Amoruso, Ferguson, Caniggia (Konterman 70), Reyna, De Boer (Mols 58), Ball, Wilson, Ross, Arveladze, Lovenkrands (Latapy 58) Subs (not used): Christiansen, Flo
Man of the Match: Shota Arveladze
Moment of the Match: The amazing trickery from Mols to beat three Ross County defenders in what was a throwback to his old days.
Bookings: Ross County – Hislop (32); Rangers – Ross (32)
Sent Off: Rangers – Lorenzo Amoruso (90)
Referee: John Rowbotham