Rangers reaction: Awkward for Malik Tillman; the Art of the Dummy; Sima redemption and shades of Bobby Russell

Rangers went ‘Dutch’ and shared four goals with PSV again last night at Ibrox in an absorbing Champions League play-off tie first leg.Michael Beale’s side battled bravely and were twice in front but must now look to complete the task of qualifying for the group stage in the partisan Philips Stadium next week. Some talking points from another memorable European night in Govan.

PSV's on-loan Malik Tillman talks to former Rangers teammate Ryan Jack at Ibrox last night after the 2-2 draw. Tillman was an unused sub (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

Awkward for Tillman

Malik Tillman did not play the significant part many Rangers fans had feared prior to kick off. It seemed all set up for the returning loanee to make a major contribution.

But no, as PSV manager Peter Bosz had suggested would be the case in his pre-match press conference, it seemed this clash had come too soon for Tillman, who is still making up ground on his comeback after injury.

While Rangers head to the Highlands this weekend to play Ross County, PSV have another free weekend before the second leg. So it could yet be that Tillman makes his competitive debut for PSV against his former team – and who would bet against him still having a decisive impact in this tie? He was clearly a popular fellow at Ibrox. At the final whistle a succession of Rangers players made a beeline towards him, including skipper James Tavernier, Ryan Jack and Nico Raskin.

It was all a bit politically awkward for Tillman, who was left on his own speaking to old Rangers teammates as his current PSV pals were all in the corner saluting their travelling supporters after twice coming back in the 2-2 draw. Tillman eventually joined them before leaving the pitch in a clinch with Rabbi Matondo, who had come on and made an impact with Rangers’ stunning second goal.

There was limited interaction between Tillman and the crowd although some did say they heard booing from the stand enclosure when the player went to warm up, which is only to be expected. The threat has not passed for Rangers, though. What price a Tillman winner – one which would cost his former side a cool £10 million – next week at the Philips Stadium?

Art of the Dummy

The concept of small margins is well established in sport. But sometimes the margin can be non-existent. Indeed, the fate of a team– in this case Rangers – can hinge on a moment when the actual leather football, something most would agree is the fundamental object in a game, has not been touched at all.

Rangers were duped by a delicious dummy from Ismael Sabari on the hour mark. It was an exquisite trick that left Nico Raskin and Connor Goldson looking like a pair of fretting firemen who had been sent to the wrong fire. There is something about the dummy that elevates it above other tricks such as the Panenka penalty or the back-heel. Opening your legs and letting a ball trundle through might not sound like a skillset that deserves veneration but it requires tremendous awareness if it is to have maximum effect: Sabari’s was a masterpiece of the genre after Johan Bakayoko’s cutback and granted Ibrahim Sangare the time and space to pick his spot beyond Jack Butland. The art of the dummy is alive and well. Unlike a showy Ronaldo- stopover, for example, it can be understated but is devastating if executed correctly.

Bobby Russell similarity

Rangers were conned into thinking that by taking the lead for a second time in this absorbing first leg they had secured the advantage desired prior to heading to the Netherlands. Barely had the cheers died down after Rabbi Matondo’s scintillating finish before the home fans watched in horror as Luuk de Jong, who had hitherto been conspicuously quiet, rose to head in PSV’s second equaliser.

The two teams had gone ‘Dutch’ again and shared four goals. There is everything to play for now in Eindhoven, where the odds might be firmly staked up against Rangers. But they know they’ve done it before – and not only once. In 1978, long before last year’s decisive win in the Netherlands at the same stage of the same competition, Rangers posted a thrilling 3-2 victory to knock PSV out of the European Cup on their own patch. It was the first time the Dutch side had lost a European match on their own ground. It was a sweeping move upfield that decided the tie and the goal had similarities with Rangers’ second last night. Tommy McLean played the Cyriel Dessers role and curled an inch perfect pass into Bobby Russell’s path and the mercurial midfielder applied the finish to send Rangers into the last eight.

Redemption for Sima

“Sort it out Beale!” was the shout from the crowd around about the 38-minute mark last night. Michael Beale spoke on Monday about the potential for outrage even when Rangers are winning. Although they were not in front when this anguished feedback was delivered from the back of the main stand, Beale side’s were not doing particularly badly.

They were hanging in there against a very decent PSV side. It was 0-0 and while no one could claim the hosts were the better side, Rangers were not allowing their Dutch opponents to completely dictate the play. Even in those spells when PSV were very obviously on top, they were not creating too much in the way of clear-cut chances.

Neither were Rangers to be fair. And the crowd was beginning to display signs of restlessness. Frustration gave way to all out dismay when Abdallah Sima simply gave up in a foot race with Ismael Sabari. Disapproval spilled down from the stands. Sima had been testing their patience even before this abject act, which made a mockery of the slightly unsavoury banner unveiled before kick-off in the Broomloan Stand: “Surrender or you’ll die!”

Sima earned derision having given up the ghost. But maybe he simply knew better than everyone else. Why waste energy on a gallop into the corner when he was always odds on to finish second best? He anticipated needing all the power he could summon in his right leg just eight minutes later when he produced one of the great finishes of recent European nights at Ibrox to put Rangers in front shortly before half time. Where did that come from? Who cared? All was forgiven. He was handed a decent ovation when he was subbed off in the second half along with Ryan Jack – and rightly so. Take a bow, son, as a former Rangers player-turned-TV-pundit used to say.