Portuguese press react to Rangers win v Braga
Kemar Roofe scored in the extra-time as Rangers secured a passage into the Europa League semi-final with a 3-1 win over (3-2 on aggregate) Braga in a pulsating clash.
The Gers were utterly dominant as the visitors finished the game with nine men. James Tavernier scored twice on the night while the Gers struck the woodwork twice and had three strikes disallowed.
Portuguese newspaper O Jogo and Record described the Ibrox atmosphere as a “real volcano”, and praise Roofe for his performance.
O Jogo notes (15 April; page 3): “In any case, Ibrox was transformed into a real volcano and a nightmare night was beginning to guess for the Portuguese team.”
Another Portuguese newspaper, Record (15 April page 2) declared Roofe as the ‘man of the match’, saying he delivered the final blow.
Record notes: “Roofe had two goals disallowed, won the penalty and signed the 3-1 that represented the final blow to Braga’s ambition.”
Famous night
Cometh the hour, cometh the man! The Gers needed an early goal to set the tempo of the game.
Tavernier scored an early goal to cancel out the first-leg lead.
The skipper scored again in the first half from the penalty spot after Vitor Tormena was rightly sent off.
However, a header from David Carmo forced the game into extra time, but Roofe scored the decisive goal from close range to take Rangers into the last four.
The task of revival became harder for the visiting side when Iuri Medeiros was booked and sent off for dissent for arguing over a yellow card.
The Bears will now travel to Germany for the first leg on 28 April to face RB Leipzig.
It is Rangers’ first European semi-final in 14 years, and the victory will serve as a massive boost to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men before Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final with Celtic at Hampden Park.
In other Rangers news, Michael Stewart has shared his reaction to a “huge” development at Ibrox to come in April.