Rangers 1-0 Lech Poznan

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ALFREDO MORELOS was again Rangers’ hero as he came off the bench to score his side’s only goal in tonight’s Europa League Group D match against Lech Poznan at Ibrox Stadium.

With the matchday two fixture goalless after an hour and not much separating the teams, the Colombian striker went on for Kemar Roofe and on 67 minutes bulleted a brilliant header into the net from Borna Barisic’s stunning cross.

It was a moment of great quality in a match which proved tricky for the Light Blues, and the win means Steven Gerrard’s side have claimed all six points from their two group games in the competition to date.

Despite the constant rain throughout the day, the Ibrox pitch was in good condition as the players walked out to the Europa League anthem and lined up in an eerily empty Ibrox. Lech captain Thomas Rogne then exchanged pennants with Gers skipper James Tavernier before Ryan Kent got the action started from the centre spot.

Rangers were shooting towards the Broomloan Stand in the first half but it was visitors that had the first attempt on goal when their number 10 Daniel Ramirez curled a left-foot shot wide with Allan McGregor watching the ball closely.

At the other end of the pitch Kent was looking lively once again and his low, powerful cross from the left was booted clearly nervously by a defender.

Gerrard compared Lech’s matchday one fixture against Benfica to a game of basketball with the number of chances created, and the early stages of this evening’s fixture suggested it could be similar, with both sets of players determined to attack and not hold back.

Mikael Ishak scored a double in his side’s 4-2 defeat to Portugal’s ‘Eagles’ on October 22 but on 16 minutes tonight the Swedish striker was guilty of a clumsy challenge of Leon Balogun and he rightly received the first yellow card from Estonian referee Kristo Tohver.

After his remarkable 55-yard goal in Leige a week ago, Roofe tried to provide a spark in the final third for Rangers on 25 minutes but his ambitious overhead kick went harmlessly wide.

Lech then went up the park and Jakub Moder fired a driven shot which flew across McGregor’s goal but again it went well wide of target.

Before half-time the best chance of a fairly uneventful first forty-five fell to Ishak. A sloppy pass in midfield allowed Lech to get bodies forward and the ball was shifted out wide to right winger Michael Skoras. He cut it back inside to Ishak who fired his effort over the bar from 12 yards.

With no substitutions made at the break, Lech’s confidence appeared to be growing at the start of the second half and early bookings for Gers centre-halves Balogun and Goldson meant they had to be careful for the remainder of the match.

On 53 minutes Rogne found space in the Gers box but he could only head wide when he should at least have asked McGregor to make a save.

Rangers were struggling to find the quality that they have shown previously in Europe this season but before the hour mark Arfield drilled a low shot from 25 yards which skidded off the Ibrox pitch and flew past Filip Bednarek’s post, with the keeper diving at full stretch to his right.

On 62 minutes Gerrard made the first changes to his personnel with Morelos replacing Roofe and just five minutes later the powerful Colombian scored the first goal of the game.

Barisic was the provider when he whipped in a brilliant cross and from six yards out Morelos headed the ball with full force into the roof of the net.

There was now a nervousness to Poznan defending and after his fine finish super sub Morelos then tried his luck with a near post shot which Bednarek did well to hold.

With Joe Aribo, Ryan Jack and Brandon Barker also going on from the bench, the Light Blues now had fresh legs on the pitch, which helped towards in the latter stages of a tough game which Gerrard’s men did very well to win, with yet another clean sheet also recorded against a strong and hard-working Lech side.

RANGERS (4-3-3): McGregor; Tavernier, Goldson, Balogun, Barisic; Kamara, Davis, Arfield (Jack 79); Hagi (Aribo 69), Roofe (Morelos 62), Kent (Barker 79)

SUBS NOT USED: McLaughlin (GK), Bassey, Helander, Itten, Zungu, Patterson, Stewart, Barjonas

GOAL: Morelos 67

BOOKINGS: Balogun, Goldson

LECH (4-4-1-1): Bednarek; Czerwinski, Satka, Rogne, Kravets; Skoras (Sykora 73), Moder, Marchwinski (Awwad 81), Puchacz; Ramirez (Kacharava 87); Ishak

BOOKINGS: Ishak

SUBS NOT USED: Malenica (GK), Muhar, Dejewski, Klups

REF: Kristo Tohver (EST)