Fresh from their warm weather training camp in Spain, Philippe Clement’s men returned to Glasgow for their final test before competitive action returns on Saturday in the Scottish Cup.
The Gers boss named a strong line-up from the start against the reigning Danish champions. Jack Butland started in goal with a back four of James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Leon Balogun and Ridvan. John Lundstram, Nico Raskin and Todd Cantwell were in midfield, while Ross McCausland, Rabbi Matondo and Fabio Silva completed the XI.
Fresh from their winter training camp in Spain, the match provided the final test for the squad ahead of the second-half of the season which begins with Saturday’s trip to Dumbarton in the Scottish Cup.
The first chance of the match fell for Fabio Silva as the striker got on the end of a cut-back from Ross McCausland but his shot was deflected over for a first corner of the match for Rangers.
From that set-piece, Rangers came close again as James Tavernier whipped a good delivery into the box with Leon Balogun getting a strong connection, but his header looped just over the bar.
Clement’s men were linking-up well in the forward areas in these early stages as Ridvan raced down the left to pick out Fabio Silva on the edge of the box. Instead of taking on the shot himself, the on-loan Wolves player touched the ball into the path of Todd Cantwell but his final curling strike was just high of the target.
Rangers were ahead with 14 minutes played at Ibrox as Ridvan and Matondo again linked up down the left. Ridvan did well to win the ball back just inside the Rangers half before finding Matondo who controlled the ball before beating the Copenhagen defenders in the box to slot a low composed finish beyond Kamil Grabara.
Copenhagen had chances to follow as Jordan Larsson flashed a shot wide from outside the box, before Jack Butland was called into action with half an hour played as he was alert to come off his line to block a Viktor Claesson effort.
At half-time, Clement made three changes to his side as Robby McCrorie came on between the sticks in place of Jack Butland, while John Souttar and Scott Wright were introduced in place of Leon Balogun and Ross McCausland.
Early in the second-half Rangers almost had a second as Fabio Silva and Todd Cantwell broke at pace towards the Copenhagen goal. Cantwell’s shot from just inside the box was blocked before Scott Wright followed up on the rebound but his strike was deflected wide for a corner.
With just over an hour played at Ibrox, Clement changed the remainder of his outfield XI as he looked to give the squad a run out in this friendly.
Leon King, Johnly Yfeko, Borna Barisic, Jose Cifuentes, Ryan Jack, Tom Lawrence, Cole McKinnon and Cyriel Dessers all came on in place of James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Ridvan, John Lundstram, Nico Raskin, Todd Cantwell, Rabbi Matondo and Fabio Silva.
Copenhagen were level in this friendly from a corner which was swung into the box by Christian Sorensen, with Kevin Diks heading home at the near post.
Just minutes later, Rangers were ahead again as Ryan Jack played the ball through to Cyriel Dessers inside the box and the striker did well to get a touch and finish low beyond the goalkeeper.
Striker had a fantastic opportunity shortly after as he took a fantastic touch to control a ball over the top from Leon King, but his shot was just wide of the post.
With 10 minutes of the game remaining, the visitors were back level, and it was from another set-piece as Copenhagen produce an almost identical set-piece with a near post header sneaking in beyond Robby McCrorie.
RANGERS: Butland (McCrorie, 46), Tavernier (King, 63) , Goldson (Yfeko, 63), Balogun (Souttar, 46), Ridvan (Barisic, 63), Lundstram (Cifuentes, 63), Raskin (Jack, 63), Cantwell (Lawrence, 63), McCausland (Wright, 46), Matondo (McKinnon, 63) Silva (Dessers, 63).
Subs not used: McLaughlin, Fraser, Rice.
FC Copenhagen: Grabara, Ankersen, Vavro, Lund, Jelert, Falk, Lerager, Claesson, Larsson, Cornelius, Froholdt.
Subs: Dithmer, Diks, Olsson, Sorensen, Andrew, Hojlund, Goncalves, Jorgensen, Elyounoussi, Bardghji, Holjund, Oskarsson.