Philippe Clement found solace in Europe once more as Rangers secured a stunning 4-1 victory against Nice in France. Amidst the domestic challenges that have intensified the pressure on the Belgian manager, his team once again delivered in the Europa League this season. The home side initially had a penalty award overturned, and Rangers capitalized with goals from winger Vaclav Cerny, midfielder Mohamed Diomande, and striker Hamza Igamane before halftime. The 22-year-old Moroccan, making his European debut, scored his second goal in the 54th minute, further exposing the home side's defensive frailties, before Badredine Bouanani reduced the deficit in the 83rd minute.
Clement shared with broadcaster TNT: "If we consider the opponent's strength, our performance in Malmo (2-0) against FCSB (4-0) was also exceptional. However, given Nice's level, this is likely our best performance this season. The season is still young, and we have a young squad with many new players. They are gradually gelling together and becoming stronger, which we need to sustain in the coming weeks and months."
Rangers now have 10 points from five fixtures, significantly enhancing their chances of a top-eight finish. Meanwhile, Europa League leaders Lazio were held to a scoreless draw by Ludogorets. Despite winning all four previous games, the Italian club struggled against the Bulgarian side's defensive tactics. Lazio still leads the 36-team table but only on goal difference from Athletic Bilbao, who secured a 3-0 win over Swedish side Elfsborg.
Eintracht Frankfurt defeated Midtjylland 2-1, with Hugo Larsson scoring early and Omar Marmoush's penalty securing the victory. Anderlecht missed the opportunity to level with Lazio due to a 2-2 draw with Porto, with Francis Amuzu netting in the 86th minute to salvage a draw. Galatasaray also have 11 points after a 1-1 draw with Alkmaar, while Ajax remains on 10 points following a 2-0 defeat at Real Sociedad.
Lyon secured a 4-1 win against Qarabag in Azerbaijan, with Georges Mikautadze scoring twice, placing them seventh with 10 points. Maccabi Tel Aviv achieved their first victory in the competition with a 3-1 win over Besiktas, played in Debrecen, Hungary for security reasons. Besiktas had a chance to level at 2-1, but Ciro Immobile's penalty was saved, and Weslley Patati sealed the win for the Israeli side.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
