MX23RW : Monday, December 23 06:17:05| >> :600:252730:252730:
[monks data]
Attendance: 49,378
Rangers logo
Europa League | Round of 32
Feb 20, 2020 at 8pm UK
 
Braga

3-2

Hagi (67', 82'), Aribo (75')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Fransergio (11'), Ruiz (59')

Gary McAllister hails Rangers squad for win over Braga

Gary McAllister hails Rangers squad for win over Braga
© Reuters
Rangers fought back from two goals down to take a first-leg advantage in the Europa League tie after hitting three goals in 15 minutes.

Assistant manager Gary McAllister claims the Rangers players answered questions about their mentality with their dramatic fightback against Braga.

Rangers fought back from two goals down to take a first-leg advantage in the Europa League last 32 after hitting three goals in 15 minutes.

The comeback appeared even less likely on the back of a run which has seen Rangers drop eight Ladbrokes Premiership points since the winter break.

Boss Steven Gerrard admitted his side had failed to handle the pressure during a defeat at Kilmarnock last week and feared he had overestimated his squad's mentality.

But McAllister feels the players can all take huge confidence from the way they kept going against the in-form Portuguese team.

"The players and all the staff have got to take the confidence from that because the last 25 minutes were very pleasing on the eye, some of the football was great," he said ahead of Sunday's encounter with St Johnstone.

"We were a real threat, very difficult to play against. We broke them down and created chances. Even though Braga were the better side in the first half, we still had three or four good chances.

"Maybe a little bit of confidence comes into play. We've got a few experienced players who have stood up in recent times, but we have a lot of young players.

"This is the first time they have been asked these sort of questions, playing in front of a very expectant crowd, the pressure of being at Rangers and having to win every game. A draw, two draws is a crisis.

"Being a Rangers player is something you have to actually deal with and this sort of result should boost the confidence.

"I would simply say, just look at the last 25 minutes, if you are questioning someone's character, mentality, and togetherness. I think you saw it was there in abundance at the end of the game."

However, McAllister admits it is not always so simple transferring their second-half performance into the league.

"If you repeated that level of performance and at the speed we played at in a domestic game then a domestic game should run out easy," he said. "But that's not the case. Every game is different.

"Last night was two teams trying to win. Sometimes that's not the case. The questions that are asked of us are: can we break a low block? The games are very, very different and we have to adapt and get better."

Ianis Hagi proved the hero with two goals and McAllister feels the on-loan Genk midfielder is in a good place.

"We just want to keep this young man going, keep his confidence high and keep encouraging him to do the things he is good at," McAllister said.

"If you are a player that has scored a couple of goals in front of 50,000 fans who are singing your name, then I think you will enjoy it.

"He has settled in very quickly, that's due to the fact he has been made very welcome. He comes in with a smile, which is always good to see in a young player.

"He is enjoying training, he is enjoying Glasgow, he is in a flat and settled very quickly. He has an eye for a goal, he has an eye for a pass.

"I thought for the first 20 minutes against Hibs in his first game, the physicality and nature of the game here, he found it quite hard. But since then he has adapted well."

Meanwhile, left-back Borna Barisic will be monitored ahead of next Wednesday's second leg in Portugal.

"He took a bad blow to the kidney so he needs a few days' rest, so he is out for the weekend," McAllister said. "We will need to monitor him but he was in a lot of pain."

ID:390430: cacheID:390430:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5012:
Written by
P A
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Rangers' Ianis Hagi celebrates scoring their third goal on February 20, 2020
Read Next:
Steven Gerrard hails "magic" Ianis Hagi after Rangers comeback
>
Read more about Gary McAllister Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
1AZ00000
2Ajax00000
3Anderlecht00000
4Athletic Bilbao00000
5Besiktas00000
6Bodo/Glimt00000
7Braga00000
8Dynamo Kiev00000
9Frankfurt00000
10Elfsborg00000
11Midtjylland00000
12FC Twente00000
13FCSB00000
14Fenerbahce00000
15Ferencvaros00000
16Galatasaray00000
17Hoffenheim00000
18Lazio00000
19Ludogorets00000
20Lyon00000
21M. Tel Aviv00000
22Malmo00000
23Man Utd00000
24Nice00000
25Olympiacos00000
26PAOK00000
27Porto00000
28Qarabag00000
29Rangers00000
30Real Sociedad00000
31RFS00000
32Roma00000
33Slavia Prague00000
34Spurs00000
35Union SG00000
36Plzen00000


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!