Rangers edge Sparta Prague after early blast - 23-game first, qualification close, player ratings as five stars score 7/10 or higher

Rangers survived a late scare to claim a Europa League win over Sparta Prague

Rangers' Danilo celebrates with James Tavernier and John Lundstram after making it 1-0 over Sparta Prague. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

A month ago, any talk of Rangers cruising would have involved them heading smack-bang into an iceberg.

Now, the good ship being steered by Philippe Clement seems permanently set fair, the obstacle of Sparta Prague largely circumnavigated with the clubs’ Europa League tie still in shallow waters.

Two goals up inside 20 minutes with Danilo and Todd Cantwell striking, Rangers had contested 23 games in the domain since the last occasions they boasted such an advantage so early in a continental assignment. It ultimately mattered not that the Ibrox side were pegged back to 2-1 in the 76th minute through a Lukas Haraslin counter, the moment the former Norwich man made it 2-0 the three points were there for the taking. A haul that means Clement’s side only require to beat the Cypriots Aris on their own patch in three weeks time to be guaranteed second place in Group C – and with that qualification from a section Real Betis are shaping up to top.

The Clement impact might not appear that profound when it still only stretches to a six-game unbeaten run; in which there have been five wins and the scoreless outcome eked out in the Czech capital two weeks ago. But the Ibrox club’s form under the Belgian can be contrasted with the five defeats and two draws in the club’s 16 outings before he became the permanent replacement for Michael Beale.

Sometimes timing can be everything…and benefitting from breaks. Clement has certainly imbued the Ibrox squad with the confidence that seemed shot under his predecessor, but he has been assisted in that through having personnel available to him sidelined for much of the final, fatal month of Beale’s time. Significantly, perhaps, the pair who plundered the goals to see Rangers assume a holding pattern for much of the 70 minutes that followed. Even if that didn’t seem so wise when they conceded with 13 minutes of normal time remaining.

By then Sparta had inflicted damage to themselves they didn’t really seem like recovering from. Principally, James Gomez being guilty of a horrendous error 11 minutes in, in turning and looking to knock the ball back to his keeper, only to hit it off Danilo, who was neatly able to bring it under control and pass it into the net. Eight minutes later, Cantwell then capitalised on the striker driving a cross over from the left, he deftly switched from right foot to left before steering beyond Peter Vindahl.

A first goal of the season for the Englishman, it looked as if Rangers were on course for a three or four goal win, Danilo smacking the post shortly afterwards. They did let their visitors set, though, and an Angelo Preciado cut-back for substitute Haraslin to thump in led to them living more dangerously that could ever have been imagined in those early stages - Jack Butland producing a superb stop after Danilo had an instant response to this goal loss ruled out by VAR for a push. But that the Ibrox crowd did not lose their voices throughout a tricky end, was evidence of the new beginnings under Clement.

Rangers ratings: Butland 6; Tavernier 7, Goldson 7, Davies 6, Barisic 6; Lundstram 7, Jack 6; Cantwell 7 (MacAusland 69, 6), Lammers 6 (Cifuentes 90+5, n/a), Sima 6 (Lawrence 85, n/a); Danilo 8 (Dessers 85, n/a).