Time to call it a night. I’ll leave you with Ewan Murray’s match report from Ibrox. Thanks for reading along with me. Bye!
Gerrard accentuated the positives there, and it’s true that Rangers have come a long way to a place where this counts as a disappointment. That said, he was clearly frustrated - he knows they ought to have won.
Here’s Stevie!
“We were very good first half, we had control, then they played better after the break. We came back into it, both teams defended very well, so we felt one goal would be crucial. We couldn’t get the goal, but it’s not two points dropped for me. We did everything but score.
“It looked like a penalty from the side, maybe [Grezda] has gone down a bit theatrically, but you’ve seen them given. We’ve got three games to go, we want to have a chance of going through in the final game. We’ve definitely come a long way. We can certainly improve, but we’re making huge strides from where we were.”
Here’s Rangers captain James Tavernier: “We’ve got with a point, we wanted to make the most of home advantage, but we’ll take a point. We had the better of the first half, they came forward in the second. We’re happy to get another clean sheet. Should we have had a penalty? It looked like he got caught.”
Villarreal have beaten Rapid Vienna 5-0, while Chelsea beat Bate 3-1 with all three goals from Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Here’s Paul Doyle’s report from Stamford Bridge.
Full time: Rangers 0-0 Spartak Moscow
It’s a point apiece, and Rangers’ unbeaten run goes on. They had the better chances though, particularly that late Grezda miss.
94 mins: There is - and what a chance for Grezda! Middleton crosses deep to Ryan Kent, who brings it down and picks out Grezda. Ten yards out, he fizzes his shot inches over the bar!
93 mins: Hanni and Popov link up well, before Ejaria makes a useful clearance. Time for one more Rangers attack?
92 mins: Spartak go searching for a winner, but Flanagan deals with a cross aimed in at Ze Luis.
90 mins: Ze Luis wins a cheap free kick on the halfway line to ease the pressure.
89 mins: Hanni loses the ball upfield and Rangers look to mount a late attack. There will be at least four added minutes...
Bate have pulled a goal back against Chelsea, while Villarreal lead Rapid Vienna 5-0 and are going top of Group G on goal difference, unless Rangers can find a winner.
87 mins: Another penalty appeal as Kent goes down under pressure from Dzhikiya - but it’s a terrific challenge from the Spartak defender, and correctly waved away by the referee.
86 mins: Maksimenko stays down after that clearance. The Ibrox faithful aren’t buying it. A second change for Rangers, academy product George Middleton replacing Candeias, who was half-decent.
85 mins: Morelos does well to hold the ball up and win a corner. It’s a better delivery from Tavernier, putting the Spartak keeper under pressure, but he punches clear.
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84 mins: Final sub for Spartak - Ivelin Popov replaces Ignatov in midfield.
83 mins: Ejaria’s ambitious shot from distance is blocked, before Candeais’ attempted slide-rule pass to Tavernier runs out of play.
82 mins: Spartak’s latest foray forward peters out. Would Gerrard take a draw now? This looked Rangers’ game to lose at half time.
80 mins: Flanagan puts the ball straight out as he tries to pass it forward.
78 mins: There was contact from Eremenko on Grezda’s trailing heel, and the winger got to the ball first, even if he didn’t bring it under control. You’ve seen them given, but it would have been on the soft side.
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77 mins: Big penalty appeal as Grezda tries to control the ball in the area, and goes down under Eremenko’s challenge. Nothing given, and Tavernier fires over from the rebound.
76 mins: Spartak sense a smash-and-grab here, and right-back Rasskazov bursts infield before spearing a shot with the outside of his boot that flies wide of the far post.
75 mins: Morelos looks the most likely to score and/or get sent off. Again, he can’t resist a dig at Dzhikiya, and is penalised.
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73 mins: Flanagan barrels upfield and heaves in a cross that drifts out of play before being caught by Maksimenko.
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72 mins: Morelos again works a yard in the box and shoots. It catches the defender and so nearly ricochets into Ryan Kent’s path, with the goalkeeper on his heels! Rangers getting closer...
70 mins: Haddi, Spartak’s biggest attacking threat since coming on (and arguably before) fires a fierce shot at McGregor.
ICYMI, here’s how Celtic got on earlier:
68 mins: Substitution for Rangers as Grezda comes on for Ryan Jack.
67 mins: Eesh, this is so close. Morelos works a yard of space and pings a perfect low ball across goal. Coulibaly would have had an open goal, but checks his run and sees the ball zip a yard past him. Morelos looks miffed, and well he might.
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65 mins: Before that, a Spartak corner. Fernando drops the ball into the right area, but Goldson is underneath it.
64 mins: Eros Grezda, an Albanian winger who has had limited game time so far this season, is set to come on.
63 mins: Spartak captain Dzhikiya takes the sting out of things, keeping the ball in the corner until Morelos barges into him, conceding a cheap free kick. And it’s now Villarreal 4-0 Rapid Vienna.
61 mins: Rangers get back on the front foot, Candeias and Kent taking turns to whip in crosses from either side that cause panic in the Spartak defence. Morelos isn’t on hand to connect with either; the hosts may need to commit some extra bodies forward.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek has his hat-trick, and Chelsea lead Bate Borisov 3-0. That’s also the score in Spain, Villarreal well on top against Rapid Vienna.
59 mins: Haddi gets forward and stumbles in the penalty area, leading to a penalty appeal from precisely one of his teammates. On the touchline, Gerrard is considering his options.
57 mins: Candeias fires a curling effort on goal that’s on target, but not powerful enough to test Maksimenko. Moments later, Candeias is booked, somewhat harshly, for a high boot on Zobnin.
56 mins: Spartak have looked more dangerous in the second half, and Haddi is just offside down the left with Zobnin unmarked in the middle.
54 mins: Rangers are looking a little nervous now, Worrall and Ejaria giving the ball away in quick succession. Bocchetti wins a free kick as Candeias trips him on the halfway line.
53 mins: Ze Luis’ low cross from the left is cut out by Worrall, but Coulibaly’s mistake allows Fernando a shot at goal. It’s deflected behind for a corner, from which Fernando serves up one of the worst crosses I’ve ever seen.
51 mins: The corner falls at the feet of Worrall, who has more time than he realises and scoops a panicked cross to no-one in particular.
50 mins: Oof! From a tight angle, Morelos fizzes a low shot that Maksimovic has to get down smartly to save. Tavernier plays the corner short and Candeias whips in a fine cross with his left, which is deflected behind.
49 mins: Eremenko, who has recently returned from a two-year ban for taking cocaine, slots into midfield with Haddi trying to offer Ze Luis some service down the left.
47 mins: Rangers win a free kick, but Tavernier’s delivery from deep is easily dealt with.
We're back!
Spartak make two changes - Roman Eremenko replaces Lomovitsky, and Sofiane Haddi is on for Tashaev.
Half-time reading
The sad tale of Cherno Samba, the Champ Man legend who never made it in real life:
Half time: Rangers 0-0 Spartak Moscow
Not a classic, but the hosts have looked the more likely against very ordinary opposition. Can they get the breakthrough goal? Find out in a few minutes...
45 mins: Tavernier’s free kick flashes across goal, a Spartak defender getting a slight touch to send it behind. The corner is delayed as Melgarejo and Morelos exchange words. Morelos raises his arm and goes in the book as Melgarejo topples over. Tavernier’s corner is eventually cleared, and that’s half time!
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44 mins: Rangers keep pushing, Morelos sweeping a cross towards Candeias. It’s cleared but Candeias scurries after it and wins the ball back - and is promptly hacked down by Fernando, who is booked this time...
43 mins: Ryan Kent has a shot at goal, which dips in front of Maksimovic - but the young keeper holds on.
42 mins: Ejaria gives the ball away but picks up the rebound and steers a lovely cross towards Candeias. It’s deflected behind and the corner is headed back across goal by Joe Worrall. Maksimovic comes to clear but flaps at it, just about nudging it out of danger.
40 mins: Tavernier’s cross from the right is headed clear by Dzhikiya. Rangers enjoying 60% possession in this half, but clear-cut chances have been thin on the ground.
38 mins: Another hefty challenge from Spartak, with Fernando going through Ejaria in midfield. He’s lucky not to be booked, and from the free kick, Ejaria tries to wriggle to the byline - but the ball bobbles behind.
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37 mins: Moments before, Candeias was upended in midfield by Melgarejo and is still complaining to the referee, his socks rolled down. Plenty of needle out there...
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36 mins: Fernando’s set pieces look the most likely (only) way Spartak will break though, but another dangerous corner is flicked away from danger.
Villarreal have banged in two quick goals to lead Rapid Vienna 2-0. As it stands, they’re level with Rangers on five points.
33 mins: Candeias and Morelos get in a muddle as they try to link up on the break. The intensity is still high, the quality less so...
32 mins: The stop-start stuff continues, with Jack putting his arm across Lomovitsky as the winger looked to get forward. Free kick, but a booking for Spartak captain Dzhikiya for haranguing the referee.
30 mins: Spartak win a cheap free kick 30-odd yards out, which Worrall thunks clear under pressure. Morelos looks to break and is bundled over unceremoniously by Lomovitsky.
28 mins: Rangers pass it out from the back, before Candeias’ charge down the right is stalled by a Spartak handball. The free kick is eventually worked back to the winger, whose cross is cut out.
Over at Stamford Bridge, everything’s coming up Ruben Loftus-Cheek! The midfielder has scored twice in the first eight minutes, and Chelsea are flying:
26 mins: This is a Spartak team shorn of a fair few first-teamers, and to be honest, it has shown so far. Candeias puts in a terrific low cross that just evades Coulibaly, before Maksimenko parries behind.
24 mins: The lively Ryan Kent wins a corner, which Tavernier dispatches meekly to the first man.
23 mins: Spartak edge upfield but Rangers strike on the break, Kent linking up with Morelos, who plays Candeias in. Advancing into the box, he tries to lift a cross to Coulibaly instead of shooting, and fluffs his lines. That was a chance!
21 mins: Morelos is making friends with the Spartak defence, this time clipping the heels of Dzhikiya, who goes down in a heap.
19 mins: The best chance for the hosts so far, as James Tavernier’s curled free kick almost drops for Coulibaly in the box, before Spartak scramble it away.
17 mins: Spartak win a free kick, from which Fernando looks for Bocchetti with a lofted ball into the box that drifts behind goal.
15 mins: Spartak centre-back Bocchetti tries to get a rise out of Alfredo Morelos, chucking the ball at him after the striker concedes a free-kick. Morelos just wanders off, unimpressed.
13 mins: Tavernier steps beyond his marker and looks for Candeias upfield, but his through ball is overhit.
Elsewhere, it’s goalless in Group G’s other game between Villarreal and Rapid Vienna, while Lazio lead Marseille. One earlier result of note: Milan 1-2 Real Betis.
11 mins: Rangers appeal for a free kick as Ajaria is bundled over on the edge of the penalty area, but the referee isn’t interested.
9 mins: One of Spartak’s many nicknames is Myaso, which translates as ‘meat’. Simple but effective.
8 mins: Fernando, who started that Spartak break, takes an inswinging corner that skims off Flanagan’s head with Ze Luis closing in.
7 mins: Spartak very much out of their stride in the early stages, but they do win a corner as Goldson closes down a Zobnin cross.
5 mins: Rangers are being roared on every time they step into the Spartak half. Ryan Kent does much better than that here, weaving his way to the byline before cutting onto his right foot. His cross is headed away.
3 mins: Lomovitsky concedes a free kick on the halfway line. Rangers looking the more positive side early on here.
1 min: Tavernier wins the ball and slots it forward to Morelos, who forces a corner. Morelos gets up to meet the corner, but can only glance it across goal.
We're off!
Spartak, in white shirts and red shorts, get the game under way. There’s a terrific atmosphere inside Ibrox...
😍 The Blue Sea of Ibrox. pic.twitter.com/A5mVghWoKA
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) October 25, 2018
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A very brief word with Stevie, who finds time to reveal Ryan Jack’s nickname. “Jacko was very consistent for us before he was injured, it’s good to have him back. Missing Scott Arfield [who is out through injury] is a blow.”
Arsenal have indeed held on in Lisbon, while in Leipzig, Celtic have lost 2-0. That leaves them with three points in a group that’s locked up by the Red Bull Two, with Salzburg top of the pile. So, an added incentive for Rangers as they look to go further in Europe than their rivals.
Elsewhere in Europa Land, Arsenal are moments away from making it 11 wins on the spin, after Danny Welbeck broke the deadlock in Lisbon:
Chelsea are taking on crack Belorussian outfit Bate Borisov at Stamford Bridge shortly. You can join Simon Burnton for that one:
So, Gerrard makes three changes from the team that earned a first away league win of the season at Hamilton. Midfielder Ryan Jack returns from injury, while Jon Flanagan and Joe Worrall come into defence. Andy Halliday, Nikola Katic and Jordan Rossiter all make way. In goal, Allan McGregor makes his 55th European appearance, moving ahead of Ally McCoist in the all-time list. He’s still some way off Barry Ferguson’s record of 82.
Team news
Rangers: McGregor; Tavernier, Goldson, Worrall, Flanagan; Jack, Ejaria, Coulibaly; Kent, Candeias, Morelos.
Subs: Foderingham, Katic, Halliday, McCrorie, Grezda, Middleton, Lafferty.
Spartak: Maksimenko; Rasskazov, Bocchetti, Dzhikiya, Melgarejo; Fernando, Ignatov, Zobnin; Lomovitski, Tasahaev, Ze Luis.
Subs: Rebrov, Petkovic, Kutepov, Eremenko, Timofeev, Popov, Hanni.
Preamble
Is any team loving their Thursday nights like Rangers? While league progress under Steven Gerrard has been stop-start, the team are flying in Europe. Ten games played, none lost, and top of Group G after a draw at Villarreal and a home win over Rapid Vienna that saw the big European night vibes return to Ibrox.
Next up in a group that positively reeks of mid-aughts Gazprom are Spartak Moscow, who have arrived in Glasgow in a state of disarray. After crashing out of the Champions League qualifiers, Spartak have one point from two games in the Europa League, and sit seventh in the Russian top flight.
That poor run of form saw their title-winning coach, Massimo Carrera, dismissed earlier this week, with assistant Raul Riancho in caretaker charge tonight. That leaves Rangers as favourites to win tonight, and take a giant step towards the knockout rounds. Kick-off is at 8pm, BST.
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