WHERE will the goals come from without Alfredo Morelos?
When the striker’s season was confirmed to be over, so were Rangers’ chances in Europe.
But none told James Tavernier and stunt double Kemar Rufu about it on a dramatic night at Ibrox.
Tavernier was the man in charge of the big event in Europe this season and the skipper was ready to pull off a brace to help them reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
At the same time, he climbed to first place in the standings in terms of performance, which is just wonderful.
It wasn’t as easy as it probably should have been for the Rangers, but they eventually got the job done against a plucky Braga team.
Even before the start of the match, they knew that RB Leipzig would be waiting for the winners in the semi-finals.
And the tone was set very early at Ibrox when the hosts flew out of the traps.
Braga could not live with them and was everywhere.
Giovanni van Bronkhorst’s men came into the second leg one goal behind last week.
Goal advantage gained in 90 minutes in Portugal was erased after 69 SECONDS.
Questions were raised when Borna Barisic’s name was on the team list, but his contribution was great.
His cross from the left was taken by Joe Aribo from outside the front post and Tavernier was there to slip and put the ball in from the tightest corners.
Ibrox was absolute bedlam. And they got louder again after just three minutes.
Barisic stepped in again to get the upper hand on Fabiano before sending Kemar Rufu the perfect cross to head home.
He went into VAR after a potential punch from Barisic, which was seen on a fieldside monitor. Ibrox applauded again as they thought the goal had been awarded before realizing the free kick had been awarded the other way.
There should have been two at the half-hour mark. Tavernier this time took a corner from the left. Aribo crossed his man and threw him into the back post where Ruf was standing three yards away, somehow hit the crossbar and the ball bounced.
The exact same routine was repeated two minutes later, and this time the Jamaican striker got stuck on his heels and couldn’t reach Aribo’s shot.
Aaron Ramsey then found Ryan Kent with a cross, but the winger’s header was weak and hit the keeper squarely.
Two minutes before the break came the turning point in the draw. Ruf was sent straight through the net and hit Tormena’s net before being pushed in the back by a Brazilian defender as he was lining up for a shot.
4
Penalty for the Rangers. Red card for Brahe.
Tavernier - as he did it again and again - took a penalty in the center.
The hosts took the lead after the break and Ruf looked like the keeper had been finished off before a final tackle stopped him.
Aribo then rushed forward and Kent found himself in acres of space inside the box, but he went on goal himself and swirled the ball wide. Incorrect choice.
Connor Goldson then hit the post after another set piece before the flag was raised.
Shortly thereafter, the Rangers kicked the ball into the net for the fourth time, but again it was ruled out. Roof came to an end before sending a delicious kick to the goalkeeper before the flag went up.
Replays showed it had about an inch in it.
Ramsey then threw the ball over the line with ten minutes left, but fouled the goalkeeper in the process, and that ball was ruled out before the celebrations even began.
Van Bronkhorst stepped up to his bench and brought in Ryan Jack and Ramsey to finish the game.
Lundstram made his first mistake of the night by kicking the ball in his own half, and so did Kent when the visitors took the corner.
A swinging ball from the right found David Carmo, who left Goldson on his heels and headed behind McGregor’s back from six yards.
He had a chance to redeem himself when we counted out 90+5 minutes, but his late header went wide.
The atmosphere was tense and nervous for the first ten minutes of extra time until roof was well and properly brought up.
Glen Camara came down the right flank and sent the ball down the endline to Aribo, who shot through the six-yard box, and Ruf was there again to finish the ball.
He could easily have received three or four, but none of them would have been more relieved than this one.
Their task was made easier shortly before the break in extra time, when Yuni Medeiros missed Leon Balogun’s tackle.
He received a yellow card and lost his head. Absolute stupidity on the part of the Portuguese, who approached the referee and pointed to his face.
He has the second yellow card, the second red one for Braga.
If you think Roof’s miss is bad, Scott Arfield’s miss was a thousand times worse.
Fashion Sakal’s shot came in after a save and the keeper did exceptionally well to keep it out by deflecting a shot at Arfield six yards from goal that hit the crossbar.
But Gers played the rest of the game without problems and will return to Germany for the semi-finals.
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