Rangers began a new era with a 2-1 friendly victory against AS Saint-Étienne at Ibrox. The match marked the first public appearance for the team after several games played behind closed doors. Manager Derek McInnes, who recently took charge, named his squad for the pre-season fixture, which saw several new signings make their debuts.
The starting lineup featured new additions Ivor Pandur in goal, Ross McCrorie, Ben Godfrey, Dan Neil, and Lawrence Shankland. Godfrey, who captained the team, played in a back four alongside Emmanuel Fernandez and Tuur Rommens. The midfield included Neil partnering Tochi Chukwuani, with Mohamed Diomande and Findlay Curtis on the wings. Upfront, last season’s top scorer Youssef Chermiti was joined by Shankland.
Rangers opened the scoring with an early penalty from Shankland after Mohamed Diomande was fouled in the box. Shankland, in a busy display, also dropped deeper to link with the midfield and contributed defensively. Despite the positive start, Saint-Étienne equalised late in the first half through Jakob Breum, who scored after Thierno Ballo centred the ball following a defensive lapse involving Tuur Rommens and Findlay Curtis.
Second Half Introductions and Decisive Penalty
The second half saw Cammy Devlin make his first appearance for Rangers, coming on from the bench. Devlin, who was named man-of-the-match, brought increased energy to the team. Other substitutes included Liam Kelly, Rydnn McGuire, Thelo Aasgaard, Nedim Bajrami, Lyall Cameron, Oliver Antman, Clinton Nsiala, Ryan Naderi, Dujon Sterling, Djeidi Gassama, Bojan Miovski, Zander Hutton, Ross McCausland, and Paul Nsio.
Pandur, making his debut following a transfer, made a smart save but also had a moment where the ball nearly dribbled past him. Saint-Étienne, a Ligue 2 side, provided competitive opposition throughout the match. Manny Fernandez, in particular, had a challenging evening in defence.
The winning goal for Rangers came from another penalty late in the game. Bojan Miovski was fouled by the goalkeeper, and Thelo Aasgaard converted the spot-kick to secure the 2-1 victory. This result provided some encouragement for the 25,000 fans in attendance, despite the team still appearing to be a work-in-progress.
Manager’s Outlook and Upcoming Fixtures
McInnes, who was seen patrolling his technical area, will have one more opportunity to assess his team in a non-competitive setting. Rangers are scheduled to face West Ham on Sunday before the start of the Premiership season. The league campaign is set to begin away to Dundee United the following Friday.
The manager will not be in the dugout at Tannadice for the league opener, as he was handed a four-match ban, with one suspended, earlier in the day. This ban stemmed from comments made towards the end of last season regarding a Celtic penalty award. Rangers have stated their intention to appeal the decision.
The club has seen significant changes, with former manager Danny Rohl and ex-captain James Tavernier having moved on. The arrival of McInnes and a number of new signings, including the imminent arrival of midfielder Vanja Dragojevic from Partizan Belgrade, are part of an extensive rebuild following a challenging previous season. The friendly match against AS Saint-Étienne kicked off at 7.45pm at Ibrox.
The match was available to watch exclusively live on RangersTV. Supporters can also engage with the club through initiatives like MyGers, which offers priority access and behind-the-scenes opportunities, and by experiencing the Ibrox Stadium through museum and stadium tours.
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Source: rangers.co.uk
As Latest News UK's Sports Reporter, Hannah Whitfield reports on tennis, cricket and athletics for readers across the country. She built her name covering the county circuit and Team GB at two Commonwealth Games. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from Loughborough University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Hannah lives in Bristol, where she plays club tennis and coaches a junior side. “Sport is at its best when you let the athletes tell the story.”