Thompson shellshocked by ‘outrageous’ Gassama scenes he spotted v Panathinaikos
Russell Martin guided Rangers to a 2-0 victory over Panathinaikos in his first match in charge of the Gers.
Despite a tricky first half, the Glaswegians weathered the storm to see out a memorable win.
Both Findlay Curtis and Djeidi Gassama got on the scoresheet at Ibrox to give Rangers a solid advantage going into the second leg.
Multiple players made their competitive debuts for the Gers under Martin, but it was Gassama’s performance that caught the eye of Steven Thompson.
Thompson hails Gassama for his incredible finish against Panathinaikos
Gassama has only just joined Rangers after moving from Sheffield Wednesday last week.
While the winger had shone in the Championship, many players in the past have struggled to perform in Scotland after playing in England.
However, Gassama showed no signs of this in his short introduction to the Ibrox crowd.
The winger was brought on with the Gers 1-0 up at Ibrox thanks to Curtis’ opener.
With Rangers pushing for a second, Gassama picked up the ball and cut inside before smashing an effort into the corner of the net on the edge of the box with 12 minutes to go.
Thompson was stunned by the goal, claiming the finish was “outrageous”.
He told BBC Sport Scotland (22 July): “There are debuts and there are debuts. On my word, outrageous.
“The first time he gets the ball, he drives with it, cuts inside, much like Curtis, and this one was hit with an excellent bit of power.”
“It is an outrageous finish. What an impact on the game. What a debut.”
Gassama could be Rangers’ next big player
At just 21 years old, to have the confidence to step up and do that at Ibrox on your debut is sensational.
The winger clearly has talent and could easily end up being Rangers’ Player of the Season this campaign.
| Djeidi Gassama at Sheffield Wednesday | |
| Appearances | 84 |
| Goals | 12 |
| Assists | 4 |
On top of this, with the potential Gassama has, the winger could become the Gers’ next big player if he continues to replicate these types of performances.
Hopefully, the former Owls man is given a start in the second leg against Panathinaikos to show off his ability for a full 90 minutes.
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