Rangers secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Viktoria Plzen in their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie at Ibrox. Djeidi Gassama’s brace and Cyriel Dessers’ goal have given the Scottish side a strong advantage ahead of the second leg in Czechia.
Manager Russell Martin’s team bounced back impressively from a disappointing 1-1 draw against Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership. The manager had criticized his squad’s “mentality” and “ego” after the weekend’s game, but the players responded superbly.
“We’re really happy with a lot of it,” Martin told BBC Scotland. “I’m a bit annoyed at the last 15 minutes. I thought we got a little bit sloppy and had the ball too much in our own half. But it’s my job to be demanding of the guys.”
Gassama’s Brace and Dessers’ Goal Seal Victory for Rangers
Gassama opened the scoring after playing a one-two with Dessers and beating Plzen goalkeeper Florian Wiegele from inside the area. He then confidently converted a penalty after Oliver Antman was fouled in the box. The forward completed his brace by heading home Antman’s cross in the second half.
Jack Butland was hardly tested throughout the match, with Plzen’s best chance coming late on when Amar Memic’s shot was easily saved. Martin was pleased with the overall performance, noting, “From Saturday to today, they took everything on. Amazing energy at the start of the game and real moments of quality actually.”
Manager Martin Discusses Squad Rotation Ahead of Upcoming Matches
The Rangers boss also addressed changes to his lineup, including the dropping of long-serving captain James Tavernier to the bench. Martin explained, “We needed freshness. It’s not easy to drop anyone, especially players that have been really important to this team for the last however long. You have to do as the head coach what you think is the best thing for the team to win on the night.”
Looking ahead, Martin emphasized the importance of squad rotation. “We’re going to have to rely on a lot of players. It’s as simple as that. I don’t think it’s going to be the same XI week in, week out.”
Rangers will play Dundee in their first home league match before heading to Plzen for the second leg. With a 3-0 advantage, they are in a strong position to reach the play-off round. Should they progress, they will face either Red Bull Salzburg or Club Brugge for a spot in the group stage.
Rangers have not advanced past the qualifying rounds of the Champions League since the 2022/23 season, when they were eliminated in the group stage.
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