Ah, the consolation of the Glasgow kiss of life for Ange Postecoglou. Again within the Scottish metropolis the place he loved such success, his ailing Tottenham staff discovered a late treatment and an escape from a few of their issues.
Dejan Kulusevski got here off the bench to supply a late equaliser and Spurs averted a 3rd successive defeat regardless of Rangers being the higher staff for a lot of what was a raucous night time inside Ibrox Stadium.
For a big a part of the sport, the hosts may detect one of many nice European victories of current years, an opportunity to humble English guests representing the self-acclaimed greatest league on the earth and make life troublesome for a former Celtic hero.
Hamza Igamane fired them forward in the beginning of the second half and so they pushed on as if positive to increase their lead till Postecoglou made three modifications and took extra management of the sport within the late phases.
Rangers pale barely earlier than producing one other flurry after modifications of their very own. The guests had Fraser Forster to thank for a late save and Cyriel Dessers had the ball within the web solely to see it dominated out by a flag for offside.
Spurs left some extent they barely deserved which steadies them on this competitors.
Dejan Kulusevski have Ange Postecoglou a Glasgow kiss of life for Tottenham versus Rangers
Postecoglou’s aspect averted a 3rd straight defeat however needed to come from behind at Ibrox
Hamza Igamane had opened the scoring for Rangers, who have been by far the higher aspect in sport
It solely extends a sequence of poor outcomes to at least one win in eight, with a visit to Southampton within the Premier League subsequent, on Sunday, however will really feel like a small triumph after a number of the stress their patched-up again 4 have been capable of maintain.
Postecoglou was nicely crushed on his ultimate go to to Ibrox as Celtic supervisor however he unnoticed gamers that day with the title within the bag and a Scottish Cup ultimate on the horizon.
Right here, Tottenham had key males absent by way of accidents however two accessible in Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur who can’t play within the Premier League at Southampton on Sunday as a result of they’re banned.
Bissouma and Bentancur lined up in midfield with James Maddison, which injected important expertise into the staff. Postecoglou picked a younger staff at Galatasaray and so they have been rattled by the high-energy soccer of the hosts and the ferocious ambiance in Istanbul.
Right here with Ibrox turning up the decibels for a giant night time he took few possibilities with the choice, aside from to begin with Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski on the bench, and so they survived a robust opening by Rangers with few scares.
There have been jeers for these with Celtic affiliations equivalent to Forster and Archie Grey however Spurs held agency on the again. Grey, nonetheless solely 18, made a composed begin. There are lots of issues spectacular concerning the teen however chief amongst them should be his temperament.
He appeared unruffled by the event. Or the actual fact he had been throw in to play in an unfamiliar position within the coronary heart of a patched-up defensive unit and Rangers have been decided to check him within the air. He gained a few early headers to settle any nerves.
Radu Dragusin was a robust bodily presence alongside. Postecoglou should rely closely on this pair for the following few weeks, with Micky an de Ven, Cristian Romero and Ben Davies all out injured.
Postecoglou was nicely crushed on his ultimate go to to Ibrox as Celtic supervisor earlier than becoming a member of Spurs
Former Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster made numerous frantastic saves for his aspect
Tottenham are actually nicely set within the competitors, however Rangers are focusing on the highest eight
Grey sought alternatives to stride out in possession. One fashionable run out of defensive quarters ended with him shedding misplaced the ball, yards out of place on the left wing. He gave slightly shake of his head and sprinted again.
He tried the identical transfer once more 10 minutes later with the identical consequence, and but Postecoglou’s staff didn’t throw gamers ahead with their typical abandon. Partly attributable to Rangers being on high by way of the primary half and squeezing them again however maybe additionally to guard the again 4.
Their first possibilities got here on the break. Timo Werner flashed Tottenham’s first effort of the night time over from an angle on the left and Son Heung-min was unable to beat goalkeeper Jack Butland with a greater likelihood created by Maddison.
Rangers summoned one other spell of stress earlier than the interval. Forster made two splendid saves from Vaclav Cerny who discovered area behind Future Udogie. Cerny swerved one other over from simply exterior the penalty field and Jefte charged ahead and delivered a low cross which fizzed throughout purpose from the Rangers left.
The hosts didn’t permit the blow of shedding centre half John Souttar earlier than half time to knock them out of their stride.
Souttar’s harm will not be what Phillippe Clement would have needed forward of Sunday’s League Cup ultimate towards Celtic.
Postecoglou despatched on Kulusevski for Werner, in hope it would give his staff extra going ahead however they have been behind simply 81 seconds after the restart. James Tavernier produced a superb cross on the run from the fitting, and Pedro Porro failed to interact the run by Igamane who coverted on the again publish.
The Morocco ahead has 5 in his final 5 video games and this purpose impressed his staff.
Rangers have been even higher as soon as forward. Spurs have been creaking and hesitant, pinned again of their defensive third and Postecoglou needed to strive one thing. On got here Solanke, Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall, whose first contact was a volley narrowly extensive.
As ever, they improved with Solanke main the road. Maddison curled free-kick over and Butland denied Porro however Rangers rose once more after modifications of their very own and Tottenham have been made to combat for his or her level.
Forster made a superb save from substitute Dessers, screaming at his defenders as he climbed to his toes. Then Dessers discovered the web just for the Swiss officers to rule it out for offside.
