Gassama strikes again as Rangers dump Panathinaikos out of Champions League

Russell Martin’s Rangers battled their way into the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League with a dogged 1-1 draw in Athens, securing a 3-1 aggregate win over Panathinaikos thanks to another inspired display from Jack Butland and a clinical finish from Djeidi Gassama.
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FBL-EUR-C1-PANATHINAIKOS-RANGERS | DIMITRIS KAPANTAIS/GettyImages

Rangers sealed progression to the third round of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League this evening.

Russell Martin and his side emerged from the Greek capital with a 1-1 draw against Panathinaikos.

A backs to the wall performance right out of the Walter Smith playbook seen the Ibrox men turn the host’s Champions League hopes into a Greek myth.

Rangers went into the second leg 2-0 up from last week’s 2-0 first leg triumph in Glasgow thanks to goals from Findlay Curtis and Djeidi Gassama.

Jack Butland had been a standout of the first leg and he was once again the hero of the evening tonight, the keeper silencing doubters with a number of tremendous stops.

The Greeks would open the scoring and finally beat Butland in the second half, Filip Đuričić turning home a cross from Anastasios Bakasetas at the back post.

Following a lengthy VAR check the goal was given and the Greeks were right back in the tie.

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But only for a matter of minutes before that man Gassama once again restored the Gers two-goal cushion with a well taken finish inside the penalty area.

Rangers would remain under pressure for the remaining 35 minutes but through a mix of solid defending, outstanding goalkeeping and a profligate Panathinaikos front line the match remained 1-1 seeing the Scottish side progress 3-1 on aggregate.

Rangers will face Viktoria Plzen in the third qualifying round next Tuesday, after the Czech sides 3-2 aggregate win over Swiss side Servette.