Rangers FC secured their passage to the next qualifying round of the Champions League, guaranteeing themselves European league phase football this season, but not without overcoming a resilient and at times dominant Panathinaikos side who ultimately paid the price for their profligacy across two legs of these crucial Football Qualifiers.
The decisive moment in the second leg came courtesy of Djeidi Gassama, who once again proved to be the super-sub for Rangers. His crucial goal in Athens extinguished any hopes of a Panathinaikos comeback, marking a remarkable start to the 21-year-old’s burgeoning Rangers FC career within the European Football landscape.
Despite the final aggregate score of 3-1, Rangers manager Russell Martin will be acutely aware that his side rode their luck. Panathinaikos will undoubtedly reflect on a series of squandered opportunities throughout both Champions League encounters, which ultimately prevented them from advancing in this highly competitive European Football qualification.
This fixture also marked Russell Martin’s first away game as Rangers manager and only his second in European competition. Opting for continuity, Martin fielded the same starting eleven that began the first leg at Ibrox, a decision that initially seemed to invite pressure from the Greek hosts as they sought to overturn the deficit in these Football Qualifiers.
The early stages of the match saw Panathinaikos assert significant dominance, particularly in the first half. From the fifth minute, midfielder Anastasios Bakasetas narrowly missed with a powerful drive, setting the tone for a period where the home side bossed the midfield and consistently threatened the Rangers defence, aiming to disrupt their Champions League ambitions.
The Greek side continued to create clear-cut chances. Defender Erik Palmer-Brown headed a Bakasetas free-kick over the bar from close range, while a glaring sitter was missed by Pellistri in the 28th minute, who blasted high over from 12 yards after a rare concession of possession by Gers skipper James Tavernier inside the box. These pivotal moments underscored Panathinaikos’s wastefulness.
Waves of Panathinaikos pressure persisted into the second half, even seeing a Duricic header disallowed for offside after wrong-footing Butland. However, against the run of play, it was Djeidi Gassama, the former Sheffield Wednesday forward, who delivered the knockout blow. Having replaced Curtis, he fired in off the post from 14 yards in a rare Rangers FC attack, emphatically restoring the Light Blues’ two-goal advantage and effectively sealing their progression in the Champions League qualifiers.
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