Steven Davis names two players who impressed him despite Rangers loss v Celtic
Steven Davis was blown away by Leon Balogun and Ben Davis despite Celtic beating Rangers 1-0 in the Scottish Cup final on 25 May.
Gers managed to keep it tight at the back until stoppage time after which Adam Idah scored to win the game at Hampden Park.
However, for a large part, the two centre-backs were solid at the heart of defence for Philippe Clement’s side.
He told BBC One Scotland on 25 May at 15:59: “It’s finely poised, both teams not wanting to make any mistakes. The game will open up in the second half.
“Celtic have had more possession but didn’t cause Jack Butland too many problems.
“Leon Balogun and Ben Davies have been really solid, and Rangers look a threat from crosses and corners.”
Rangers unfortunately not at the same level as Celtic yet
Despite Rangers’ defensive efforts, with Balogun and Davies performing solidly for a large part of the Scottish Cup final against Celtic, they still failed to secure a victory.
The match saw both teams cautious in the first half, with neither side making significant mistakes.
However, Celtic’s Idah managed to score in stoppage time, breaking the deadlock and securing a 1-0 win for his team.
Davis’s comments highlight the positives of Gers’ performance, especially their defensive solidity and the threat they posed from set-pieces.
However, the inability to hold on until the final whistle and the failure to create more clear-cut chances underscore the gap between the two sides.
This result suggests that the Ibrox outfit needs to improve their overall game to compete at the same level as Celtic next season.
In other Rangers news, names of seven first-team players have emerged who are mooted to seal their permanent Ibrox exit this summer.
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