Keeper Kelly Stands Tall as 10-Man Rangers Hold Athletic Club to a Draw

In an intense UEFA Europa League quarter-final first leg at Ibrox, ten-man Rangers managed to secure a goalless draw against Athletic Club. The standout performer was Liam Kelly, who saved an 82nd-minute penalty from Alex Berenguer during his first start in this season’s competition.

Following a disappointing end to their Scottish title challenge and an unexpected cup exit to lower league opponents, Rangers were focused solely on the Europa League and were anticipated to come out strong.

However, the 2022 Europa League finalists faced an uphill battle after Robin Propper was sent off just 12 minutes into the match.

His challenge on Nico Williams initially warranted a yellow card from referee Istvan Kovacs. Yet, to Propper’s chagrin, VAR intervened, elevating the punishment to a straight red for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Playing a man down, Rangers rallied and nearly found the back of the net in the 23rd minute, with Cyriel Dessers’ powerful attempt just missing Julen Agirrezabala’s far post.

Despite Athletic Club applying relentless pressure for the remainder of the first half, their numerical advantage resulted in only two quick shots on goal. First, Kelly heroically tipped Maroan Sannadi’s effort over the bar, and later, he confidently caught Oihan Sancet’s header from the resulting corner.

Frustration mounted for Sannadi just before the hour, as he wildly blazed a clear opportunity over the stands, unmarked in front of goal with only Kelly to beat.

This glaring miss seemed inconsequential when Berenguer appeared to put Athletic ahead in the 76th minute with a stunning strike. However, VAR once again made its presence felt, disallowing the goal for offside during the build-up, although a penalty was awarded for a handball by Dujon Sterling in the area.

Berenguer stepped up to take the penalty, trying to outsmart Kelly, but the goalkeeper emerged victorious, sending the shot over the crossbar.

Despite no goals being scored in Glasgow, and with Athletic enjoying a lengthy 12 minutes of stoppage time, the match was packed with excitement and drama.

Now, Rangers set their sights on the Basque Country, entering the next leg as clear underdogs, aiming to erase the heartbreak of their 2022 campaign and secure a spot in the semi-finals against either Manchester United or Olympique Lyonnais.

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