Rangers opened their German tour with an impressive two-nil win over
Greuther Furth.
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Stevie Thompson was the two goal hero and for good measure missing a penalty.
Outstanding player however was Brazilian trialist Emerson Thome.
The Ibrox men took the field with temperatures remaining as high as 32
degrees against opponents who were fresh from a 5-1 mauling of Coventry City
last Sunday and who last season finished just five points adrift of
promotion to the Bundesliga.
The 3,500 crowd were entertained before the match as Coventry defeated local
club FC Weismann 10-1, but the main event was always going to be the RANGERS
GAME, the Scottish champions for the first time fielding their new change
strip.
The German club thankfully opted to leave their first choice colours of
green and white inside the dressing room although there were still man local
fans wearing the colours.
Indeed, a number of sad individuals had turned up wearing Celtic tops, not
to mention several tricolours being flaunted and at least one deranged
individual with a full kit of Celtic top, tricolour and black beret. In the
final minutes of the game a handful of similar invertebrates took the edge
off of a very pleasant evening by chanting IRA and tried to pick fights at
the exits.
Quite why Rangers chose to play a club with such an unfortunate combination
of colours when it was inevitable terrorist supporters would try to hijack
the event speaks volumes for the lack of footballing knowledge within areas
of the club. Thankfully the provocations came to little and the police
caged a few reptiles much to the relief of real football fans.
The Rangers team was virtually unrecognisable from the side who clinched the
Treble, with Stefan Klos captain, trialists David May and Emerson Thome in
defence and Michael Ball, Christian Nerlinger and Chris Burke all fielded.
There was however no place for Alan Wright who has returned home for family
reasons.
Greuther Furth were first to threaten - a 25 yard drive from Caillas
flashing just over in 12 minutes, but four minutes later at the other end
Chris Burke shaved the post with a shot from a Ricksen pass.
The Germans were however making the running at this stage - Caillas should
done better than shoot wide when he had a clear sight of goal in 21 minutes.
Then Surmannıs 22 yard left-foot drive had Klos beaten only to drift wide.
The game was certainly competitive - two Furth players were yellow carded in
60 seconds for fouls on Nerlinger an Ricksen. Then Burkhardt shot just wide
from Eiglkerıs pass in 36 minutes.
The opening goal came however at the other end 60 seconds later, Michael
Ball releasing Stevie Thompson with a superb crossfield pass, the striker
dragging the ball wide of goalkeeper Loboue before chipping home.
Rangers made three halftime substitutions and took the game by the scruff of
the neck.
Lovenkrands was denied by replacement goalkeeper Neuhaus in 54 minutes, then
from the resultant corner the Dane might have done better after Craig
Mooreıs header was blocked.
Stephen Thompson added a second on the hour when he stabbed the ball home
after playing a one-two with Neil McCann from Maurice Rossı free kick.
Emerson Thome was impressive throughout - solid in defence with good
distribution he certainly looked the part, one pass to Neil McCann that
dissected the full length of the park being worth the admission money alone.
Chris Burke was also in the mood - embarking one one tricky run in 64
minutes before shooting over, then a superb reverse pass to Thompson
deserved a better finish.
Rangers were comfortable although Greuther came close twice with long-range
efforts but it was Thompson who had a golden opportunity to complete his
hat-trick in 85 minutes from the penalty spot when McCann was upended by
Incemann, only to fire over the bar.
Rangers nevertheless held out comfortably for what was by any reckoning an
impressive win.
Alex McLeish afterwards described the game as a hard work out that was
certainly competitive.
He paid tribute to Emerson Thome who had played to such a high standard.
"There are no new signing imminent but both trialists are in poll position
and we need to asses them in a short period of time."
Team: Klos; Ross (Muscat 68), May (Moore 45), Thome, Ball (Smith 68); Burke
(Arveladze 68), Ricksen (Malcolm 45), Nerlinger (Khizanishvili 68), McCann;
Thompson, Mols (Lovenkrands 45).
Unused McGregor
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