Rangers ace Rabbi Matondo gives Michael Beale plenty to ponder after ‘effervescent’ display v PSV
Nobody could have predicted it, but Rabbi Matondo was the star man for Rangers as they drew 2-2 with PSV in the Champions League.
The Gers held the Dutch giants at Ibrox on Tuesday (22 August) in the qualifying play-off first leg, with the second leg scheduled for next Wednesday (30 August).
And young winger Matondo was key in the first leg clash under the lights, which came as a shock to many supporters given how he wasn’t even named in the squad for the tie against Servette in the previous round.
It wasn’t exactly a shock decision from manager Michael Beale, however, to leave him out of that one given how the attacker hadn’t scored in any of his 30 Rangers matches.
But that all changed against PSV, with Matondo introduced into the action as a 67th-minute substitution for Abdallah Sima, scorer of the first goal of the night.
Less than 10 minutes later, he made an immediate impact, sweeping home from a flowing move created by both Todd Cantwell and Cyriel Dessers.
It was not a finish of a player lacking in confidence, with the 22-year-old expertly slotting past Walter Benitez in the PSV goal, sending Ibrox into delirium.
Despite only being on the pitch from the 67th minute, the winger had more shots than any other Rangers player and more touches in the opposition box (four), as well as making four successful dribbles, as per BBC Sport (22 August).
His display caught the eye of journalist Richard Winton, who wrote for BBC Sport (22 August): “Clearly he is a player of talent. Quick, tricky and effervescent, he was not only a persistent pest to the PSV defence but was also able to carry the ball and enable Beale’s side to get up the pitch amid PSV pressure.”
In other Rangers news, a BBC pundit has slammed a Gers player who “got out of jail” against the Dutch outfit.