Match report
A sad night for Rangers, then. Connor Goldsen will see that header coming back of the crossbar again and again as he goes to sleep tonight, while Steven Gerrard may reflect that he could have brought Kyle Lafferty on earlier to help the often-isolated Alfredo Morelos. But Rapid were simply better tonight, beating Rangers for the first time in their history and deservedly progressing to the knockout stage. Still, once the pain subsides, Gerrard and his men will take succour from an improved showing on the continent, even if they’re not quite the finished product yet. They’ve come a long way since Progrès Niedercorn. Nighty night.
Group G ends with Rangers in third place. The table’s topped by Villarreal, who beat Spartak Moscow 2-0 tonight. Rapid Vienna make it through in second. Both teams finished on 10 points, four ahead of Rangers. Spartak trail in last with five points to their name.
FULL TIME: Rapid Vienna 1-0 Rangers
There’s no crazy drama in added time, and Rangers are knocked out of Europe. They’ll look back and think they should have qualified from Group G, but they were always behind the eight-ball after losing at Spartak Moscow. It’s been a good effort tonight, and they’ve not had the luck, Connor Goldson’s fine first-half header coming off the crossbar. But Rapid have been much the better team in this match, energised from the break by the live-wire Christoph Knasmullner, who set up Dejan Ljubicic’s sublime winner.
90 min: Rangers look utterly deflated. There will be three more minutes of their European campaign.
88 min: Mulder has a whack from distance. McGregor gathers easily enough, but then batters a long clearance straight out of play, allowing the hosts to eat up more of the clock.
86 min: On the touchline, Steven Gerrard looks on impassively. But you can be sure his heart has just fallen into his boots. Rapid are now camped in Rangers’ final third, the clock their friend, the stadium bouncing. Unless Rangers can come up with a dramatic late one-two, their European adventure is over before Christmas.
GOAL! Rapid Vienna 1-0 Rangers (Ljubicic 84)
A poor clearance by McGregor goes straight to Berisha out on the right. He charges into space down the channel. The ball’s flicked inside for the substitute Ljubicic, who one-twos with the superb Knasmullner. Ljubicic enters the box and gently slips the ball past the out-rushing McGregor and into the bottom left. That’s a lovely move, a glorious finish too. But all started by a bad mistake from McGregor.
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82 min: Strebinger’s earning his money now, dealing with Middleton’s left wing cross under intense physical pressure from Lafferty, who is putting himself about in his trademark style.
81 min: Grezda bombs down the right and reaches the byline. His cross comes off the top of Barac’s head, and threatens to flash into the Rapid goal! But Strebinger is on point, and snatches the ball from the sky. But Rangers are soon coming back at Rapid, Tavernier having a crack from 25 yards, just to the right of centre. His shot’s flying into the bottom left. Strebinger parries well, enough to get the ball out of the road of Morelos, sniffing around.
79 min: Schwab looks to whip the free kick into the top right. It’s over the bar, McGregor watching it all the way. And then Kyle Lafferty comes on for Ryan Jack, who was lucky to escape a second booking back there. To be fair, Jack was booked for absolutely nothing in the first half, so all’s fair.
78 min: Jack shoves over Shobesberger as the Rapid attacker looks to break into the Rangers box down the right. A free kick in a very dangerous position. Before it can be taken, Dejan Lubicic comes on for Manuel Martic.
76 min: Rangers clear the corner with ease, and for a second it looks as though Morelos might escape on a right-wing break. But he runs down a cul-de-sac and loses possession.
75 min: Tavernier barges his way past Auer down the right, and skitters along the touchline. But his cross is easily cleared by Barac. Rapid go up the other end, Berisha racing into acres on the right. He looks to cut back for Knasmullner, but McAuley is able to bundle out for a corner.
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73 min: A scare for Rangers at the back, as Berisha takes up possession inside the box and looks to turn and shoot from close range. Thankfully for the visitors, Goldson sticks to his back like glue, offering no space. Eventually Grezda is able to hack clear. Which is not what he’s been brought on for, but it’s a crucial contribution nonetheless.
72 min: Rangers need to roll the dice now. Accordingly, Lassana Coulibaly is replaced by Eros Grezda.
71 min: Tavernier sends Arfield scampering down the right with a lovely scooped pass. Arfield checks, and it’s Tavernier who eventually crosses. It’s blocked, out for a corner. From the set piece, the ball falls to Middleton, who skies a shot from 20 yards.
69 min: It’s all a bit shapeless right now. Two-pass moves at a premium.
67 min: Barisic, who has been excellent tonight, digs his way out of a tight spot in his left-back position and sets Rangers on the counter with a fine chipped pass up the wing. Morelos and Coulibaly combine to set Middleton scampering into the final third, but the young winger’s cross is soft, high and easy pickings for Strebinger. Morelos and Coulibaly, who had both continued their runs, will have been hoping for much better.
66 min: Morelos turns on the jets to power past a dozy Auer on the right. He reaches the byline and fizzes a low cross to the near post, hoping to find Coulibaly. The ball’s bundled out for a corner, which proves to be a complete waste of everyone’s time.
64 min: Coulibaly, 30 yards out on the left, attempts to Le Tissier a bouncing ball over Strebinger and into the top right. It’s high and wide, but not by that much. A decent attempt at the spectacular.
62 min: Philipp Schobesberger replaces Andrei Ivan. Knasmullner has a whack from distance; McGregor gathers the rolling ball. Rapid are slowly getting on top now; they look a lot more dangerous since the introduction of Knasmullner.
61 min: Goldsen is booked for lightly brushing Martic. Scrub that: he’s booked because McAuley had lightly brushed Martic! Very strange. This is a very cheap free kick for Rapid, out on the left, and Knasmullner loops it long. Too long, and it’s out of play for a goal kick.
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59 min: A high diagonal ball from the right forces Barisic to concede a corner under pressure. Knasmullner takes; it’s half cleared. Knasmullner has another go, but can’t get a cross away. Then Schwab’s clever little backflick releases Ivan down the right. Another cross, but Goldson clears. A couple of minutes that represent the first serious, sustained bout of pressure Rangers have had to absorb.
57 min: Morelos dribbles into the Rapid area again from the right. He goes over, barged by Auer, but that’s a fair charge. He’s not getting the penalty, and to be fair he doesn’t make much of a claim.
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56 min: This is a very open game now. Rapid just need the draw, but a goal would nevertheless be so precious. The introduction of Knasmullner has given them a sharper look up front. Good luck guessing who’ll score first, as the ball pings up and down the field in the basketball style.
54 min: McAuley gifts Rapid a free kick with a pointless challenge on Bolingoli, who was going nowhere out on the left. Goldson clears the resulting set piece. Then suddenly Morelos is skittering into space on the break down the right. He cuts inside, reaches the area, and lays off to Arfield, whose first-time shot is deflected high into the air. As the ball drops to the left of the area, Coulibaly is flagged offside.
53 min: Rapid go up the other end, Knasmullner twisting and turning down the middle of the park and threading a shot towards the bottom left from the edge of the box. There’s no oomph behind the effort, and McGregor flops softly onto the ball.
52 min: Jack loops in a fine cross from the right. Morelos and Coulibaly rise with a view to planting a header home from eight yards, but Strebinger does extremely well to leap higher and punch the ball clear of danger from the middle of a melee.
51 min: Martic is booked for a cynical tug on the back of Coulibaly’s shirt.
49 min: Rangers have clearly been given the Big Talk by their manager at half time. There’s been a clear shifting up of tempo since the restart.
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47 min: Morelos chases after a long pass down the right. For a second, it looks as though he’s clear, ahead of Barac, but Strebinger comes out of his area and batters into touch. Fine anticipation from the Rapid keeper to snuff out some very real danger.
46 min: Both sets of fans are giving it plenty. It’s a wonderful atmosphere at the Weststadion. A free kick for Rangers on the halfway line. Tavernier sticks it into the mixer, and it’s an easy one for Strebinger to gather.
And we’re off again! The hosts get the second half underway. They’ve made one change, replacing Thomas Murg with Cristoph Knasmullner, Rapid’s top scorer this season with seven goals.
Half-time entertainment. The aforementioned Brabinger (18 min) is pictured at 33 seconds.
HALF TIME: Rapid Vienna 0-0 Rangers
The Light Blues have given as good as they’ve got. In fact, they’ve come closest to scoring, Goldson’s header unluckily coming back off the bar. But it’s all square at the break, and they still need that goal for the win that would take them through to the Round of 16. A dramatic 45 minutes will follow ... and there’s an enjoyable edge to this match, too, so anything could happen. No flipping!
45 min: Morelos threatens to break free down the middle, chasing a long pass. He’s miles offside, and the linesman raises his flag accordingly.
44 min: Barisic’s free kick, just outside the area on the left, is long and dreadful. Jack tries to recycle possession out on the right, but comes together with Martic, who goes down in the poleaxed style. The referee is fooled into booking Jack, who is rightly miffed at being punished for a garden-variety 50-50 clank.
42 min: Muldur is booked for bringing down Middleton, who was threatening to power past him on the left with a determined dribble. Yet another free kick in a promising position.
40 min: Rangers pass it around in the progressive style, some nice flicks and fancy triangles. Tavernier, Morelos, Jack, McCrorie and Middleton are all involved. Very pretty, though it’s art for art’s sake. But this is a process Rangers have to go through, if they’re to close the gap on Celtic.
38 min: Space for Bolingoli down the left. He’s free in the box, but hesitates, allowing Tavernier to close him down and block. Berisha has another go at crossing, but his effort is deflected high into the air, allowing Coulibaly to clear. For a second, Rangers were exposed there.
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36 min: Tavernier, deep on the right, fires the sort of stunning cross-field pass that made his manager famous. Middleton brings it down brilliantly, spins round Hofmann and bursts into the Rapid box. But then the young man takes a heavy touch and runs the ball out for a goal kick, just as he was about to see the white of Strebinger’s eyes. That would have been a lovely goal. Gerrard will have enjoyed that raking diagonal ball.
34 min: Barac, who is surely one challenge away from a booking, clips Morelos down the right. Tavernier’s free kick is awful, but sliced out for a corner. Barisic takes, but that’s not very good either. Saying all this, set pieces look to be Rangers’ best bet this evening. They’ve had a few already.
32 min: The ball pings around the middle of the park in the pinball style. It’s a lively match, entertaining enough without any great drama. But plenty of time for that yet.
30 min: Muldur bombs down the right, an extremely purposeful run. But Middleton’s not having it, and wins the ball with a marvellously old-fashioned, but legal, barge. The crowd don’t like it as their man slides across the turf on his teeth, the referee waving play on. Rangers have the chance to launch a quick break, but Middleton’s attempt to find Coulibaly out on the left touchline is heavy handed, forcing his team-mate out of play.
28 min: Berisha is a study in perpetual motion. He nicks the ball off McCrorie and very nearly sets Ivan clear down the inside-right channel. Not quite.
26 min: Morelos is down in the centre circle, looking extremely unimpressed. This time he’s within his rights to have a face on, because Ivan has come over the top and crumped his studs into his shin. Thankfully he’s not seriously hurt and will be OK to continue, but that was a poor challenge. Ivan is booked, but other referees might have flashed red for that. He’s a lucky chap.
24 min: Now it’s Rapid’s turn for a free kick in a dangerous position. Morelos needlessly brings down Auer, 25 yards out in a central position. Murg looks for the top left, but gets nowhere near. McGregor looks on, unimpressed.
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22 min: ... Rangers hit the crossbar! Tavernier’s free kick is wonderful, an outswinger towards the far post. Goldson rises highest, and steers a glorious header towards the top right. Strebinger is rooted to the spot ... but the ball smacks flush into the bar, and Rapid clear. So unlucky, that was a glorious header by Goldson.
21 min: Rangers win another free kick in a dangerous position. Tavernier works his way down the right and crosses. The ball hits Bolingoli’s arm, and the ref blows his whistle. That’s a generous decision, as the Rapid man was close to Tavernier and turning his back. But Rangers get the decision. And from that free kick ...
19 min: Rapid win the first corner of the match, thanks to some good work by Berisha out on the left. That leads to a second corner, which is looped long. Muldur shoves McCrorie in the back, and the pressure on Rangers is released.
18 min: Audrey fforbes-Hamilton’s butler was, of course, called Brabinger.
16 min: Morelos is clattered by Barac, 25 yards out on the right. Barisic takes the resulting free kick, whipping it towards the bottom right. Strebinger - a name reminiscent of Audrey fforbes-Hamilton’s butler in To The Manor Born (theme: R Hazlehurst) - gathers easily.
14 min: A really poor forward pass by McAuley is intercepted by Auer, who strokes it back upfield for Berisha. Rangers are suddenly in a spot of danger, so they feel great relief as Berisha’s attempt to flick the ball to his left for Bolingoli, in acres, is a poor one. McAuley, to his credit, had recovered his poise and intercepts.
12 min: Auer threatens to make ground down the left, but he’s pestered by Arfield and forced to turn tail. It’s not been the most eventful start.
10 min: Middleton powers down the left and sends a lovely cross into the Rapid box. But Morelos doesn’t anticipate it, and gets nowhere near. Still, that’s a little better from Rangers, who otherwise haven’t done a great deal in attack yet.
8 min: Barac makes a nine-course tasting menu of clearing a simple ball down the Rangers right. Attempting an elaborate overhead, he shanks it out for a corner. But Morelos is penalised for lightly nudging the defender in his back. Morelos doesn’t agree with the decision, to say the least, and wanders off looking right narked.
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7 min: Berisha makes good down the left and whips a dangerous-looking low cross into the Rangers area. Goldson clears well. Then McCrorie gifts the ball to Rapid, allowing Berisha to probe down the other flank. Jack does very well to deal with this one. The hosts are enjoying the better of the opening exchanges.
5 min: Well, they load it, but Tavernier’s delivery is awful, the ball harmlessly sailing past everyone in light blue, allowing Hofmann to quietly usher it out for a goal kick.
4 min: Coulibaly is bowled over by Martic, 30 yards from goal. That’s a cynical one by the Rapid midfielder, as the Rangers man had plenty of space in front of him. Just a ticking off. But a chance for Rangers to load the box.
2 min: Goldson miskicks as the ball bobbles around. Muldur nearly takes advantage of the fresh-air swipe to advance down the inside-right channel, but Goldson recovers his poise and puts a stop to his gallop.
Rangers get the ball rolling! And they launch it long. Rapid quickly win possession and return it in similar style, towards Bolingoli. He’s hoping to latch onto the ball down the inside left, but McGregor is out quickly to claim. Both teams showing front-foot intent early doors.
The teams are out! Rapid in green and white, Rangers in blue. There’s a rare old atmosphere in the Weststadion. Around 10,000 Rangers fans have follow, followed their team to Vienna, and are keeping warm in the freezing cold by giving it laldie. They’ll be hoping to see the Teddy Bears win away in Europe for the first time since they beat Lyon 3-0 in the Champions League in 2007. By the looks of that retro MBM, that was the same day the legendary theme-tune genius Ronnie Hazlehurst passed away. It’s appropriate, then, that Rangers have since drawn a Blankety Blank.
Steven Gerrard talks to BT Sport! “The players have done extremely well to give themselves this opportunity. Of course we’d like it to be that we’d only need a draw, but it is what it is, and we know what we need to do. The players are certainly capable, we’ve shown some excellent form in Europe and I hope there’s one last performance in us. We haven’t been good enough domestically, the players know that and we take responsibility for it. But tonight is a different test, we’ll play against a team that will come out and attack, and hopefully that’ll leave spaces for us to go and execute going the other way. We’ve become too frustrated and made things more complicated than we should, but tonight’s a new night and we’ve got an opportunity to make our fans smile again.” He also says he’s picked Ross McCrorie for his calmness on the ball; that the much-maligned pitch looks alright to him; and that Ovie Ejaria has been left at home because he’s a little “unsettled”. He’ll be talking to the young Liverpool loanee when he gets back to Ibrox.
It’s a bit nippy in Austria. Minus one in your degrees centigrade. Here’s Stevie G wrapped up nice and warm as he sends his lads out into the snow for a spot of training.
Steven Gerrard makes seven changes to the team that couldn’t break down ten-man Dundee at the weekend. Out go Joe Worrall, Ryan Kent, Andy Halliday, Jordan Rossiter, Daniel Candeias, Kyle Lafferty and Eros Grezda; in come Ross McCrorie, Lassana Couibaly, Borna Barisic, Gareth McAuley, Scott Arfield, Glenn Middleton and ever-entertaining hothead Alfredo Morelos.
The hosts make three changes to the XI sent out for a goalless draw with Sturm Graz on Sunday. Defender Mario Sonnleitner, and midfielders Philipp Schobesberger and Christoph Knasmullner, make way for defender Mateo Barac, and forwards Veton Berisha and Andrei Ivan.
The teams
Rapid Vienna: Strebinger, Muldur, Hofmann, Barac, Auer, Schwab, Martic, Ivan, Murg, Bolingoli Mbombo, Berisha.
Subs: Knoflach, Schobesberger, Dibon, Thurnwald, Knasmullner, Alar, Ljubicic.
Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, McAuley, Goldson, Barisic, Jack, Ross McCrorie, Arfield, Coulibaly, Middleton, Morelos.
Subs: Robby McCrorie, Flanagan, Halliday, Katic, Worrall, Grezda, Lafferty.
Referee: Paolo Mazzoleni (Italy).
Preamble
There’s no question that Rangers have improved under Steven Gerrard this season. Last year, they crashed out of Europe in the first qualifying round of the Europa League, humiliated by Progrès Niedercorn of Luxembourg. This time they swanned past Shkupi, Osijek, Maribor and Ufa in the qualifiers, reaching the groups without losing a match. And having held up well against Spartak Moscow and Villarreal, they’ll be playing European football in the new year if they win tonight at Rapid Vienna. That’s progress.
Only problem being, Rapid are unbeaten in seven European home matches. They’re also on a run of 12 unbeaten at home in the Europa League groups, a sequence that stretches back to 2012. Meanwhile Rangers haven’t been all that on the road this season: just five wins in 16 matches, with only one real standout performance, a battling victory the other week at Hearts. In that respect, it’s a tall order getting the victory they need to make it to the Round of 32.
But there is hope! Not least because Rangers saw off Rapid at Ibrox on matchday two, Alfredo Morelos scoring twice in a 3-1 victory. And the historical omens are good, too, Rangers having defeated Rapid home (1-0) and away (2-0) in the first round of the European Cup in 1964/65, Jim Forrest and Davie Wilson with their goals.
It’s poised perfectly, with Rapid just needing a draw to qualify. It’s Die Grün-Weißen (the Green-Whites) versus the Light Blues! It’s the 1985 and 1996 Cup Winners Cup runners up versus the 1972 Cup Winners Cup champions! It’s on!
Kick off at the Weststadion: 5.55pm GMT, 6.55pm in Vienna.
