Rangers had to win tonight against Brondby to keep the knockout hopes alive as they did at Ibrox in the reverse tie. Despite a dominant display, the Gers conceded against the run of play late in the first half. Leon Balogun scored an own-goal which was cancelled out by Ianis Hagi during the final quarter of the contest. Neither side managed to find a winner and settled for a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes of engaging football.
Below are the Rangers players rated in their draw against Brondby.
Allan McGregor: 6
Did not have to make a save all game. Could have done little to stop Balogun’s header that ended up into the back of their own net. Acted as a sweeper a few times to instigate attacking moves from the last line of defence.
James Tavernier: 7.5
Kept on whipping in crosses and linking up in the attacking third with his overlapping runs. Has often been criticised for his frailty at the back, however, made a massive last-ditch clearance in the closing minutes to avoid a late upset.
Connor Goldson: 7
Showed great aerial as well as a physical presence to win duels. Made some key recoveries in the defensive third, also impressed with his passing and distribution.
Leon Balogun: 5
Has been in great form of late, but the own goal he scored could have been avoided. Made some key interceptions and delivered a steady performance after the break overcoming the first-half mistake.
Borna Barisic: 6.5
Returned to the lineup shaking off a minor injury issue. Balanced his game between attack and defence, but the Croatian could have shown more inventiveness while making marauding runs down the left-hand flank. Was replaced by Calvin Bassey late in the game.
Steven Davis: 6
Struggled to break down the hosts’ counter-attacking threats as he looked fatigued and worn out as the game progressed. Steven Gerrard made the right call by taking off and bringing in Juninho Bacuna midway through the second half.
Scott Arfield: 7
Back to back starts for the versatile Canadian who mostly concentrated on winning back possession, playing small passes, initiating the press and creating space. Was replaced minutes before the hour mark to make way for Ryan Kent.
Glen Kamara: 7
Operated in the pockets and exhibited his technicality while playing one-twos with teammates. Was not always accurate with his final balls, but the Finnish midfield ace did well overall in the middle of the park.
Joe Aribo: 7.5
Worked tirelessly to regain possession, dropped deep and never stopped running. Had a couple of attempts off target, but the free role indeed suits the Nigerian as it allows him more freedom and space to showcase his composure. Played a key role in the build-up of Hagi’s equalizer.
Fashion Sakala: 5.5
Earned a start following the weekend hat-trick against Motherwell. Sent an effort wide from a narrow-angle in the early minutes, but the Zambian was highly disappointing otherwise before being replaced by Kemar Roofe.
Alfredo Morelos: 6
Found the net minutes after the kickoff, but the goal was disallowed by the linesman. Had a few more goalscoring opportunities that were wasted by the Colombian. Gerrard made a brave call by taking off and bringing in Ianis Hagi around the 56th-minute mark.
Rangers Subs Vs Brondby
Ianis Hagi: 7.5
Added more variation high up the pitch since replacing Morelos. His great finish from Kent’s through ball earned them a crucial point.
Ryan Kent: 8
Made an instant impact since returning from a spell on the sideline. His pace and power were menacing for the Danish outfit who failed to stop him from finding Hagi.
Kemar Roofe: 6
Could have been the hero tonight had he not hit the header wide in the closing moments of the stoppage time.
Juninho Bacuna: 6.5
Controlled the midfield game since replacing Davis.
Calvin Bassey: NA
Played too little to warrant a rating.
