MX23RW : Thursday, July 29 15:06:25| >> :60:478:478:
Jul 25, 2021 at 6pm UK at Ibrox Stadium
RangersRangers
2-1
Real Madrid
Sakala (55'), Itten (77')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Rodrygo (8')
Nacho (76')

Steven Gerrard welcomes selection dilemmas after Real Madrid win

Steven Gerrard welcomes selection dilemmas after Real Madrid win
© Reuters
The Scottish champions were 2-1 winners in the pre-season friendly contest.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard welcomed the selection dilemmas posed by his players after they discovered the "magic" touch in a 2-1 friendly win over Real Madrid.

Second-half goals from summer signing Fashion Sakala and substitute Cedric Itten gave Rangers a major boost ahead of the start of their title defence, which comes next Saturday against Livingston at Ibrox.

Rangers were held to a goalless draw by Brighton on Saturday but Gerrard had been happy with their "dominant" display, and they stepped up a gear against the Spanish giants in front of about 12,500 fans at Ibrox.

Gerrard said on his club's website: "First and foremost, we deserved the win and we have been excellent over the whole weekend.

"Obviously, it was two different teams for obvious reasons, but every single person over the course of the two 90 minutes has been excellent and they have given me a lot to think about in the two days in terms of picking teams for real next week.

"That is the problem I wanted – to challenge the team, and could they build on yesterday's performance, and to be fair, they have backed it up.

"It shows the quality and the strength in depth we have got around the dressing room, so I am really happy and content, but at the same time, it is important we stay calm.

"We have two down days now just to recover and get ready, and from Wednesday, it is important that everyone's focus is top and ready for Livingston.

"We have got valuable minutes into important players and we have shown a level out of possession that I really like – our speed across the grass, our aggression and moving together as a unit in our shape, I am really happy with that and yesterday, we did a lot of things right but we missed a little bit of magic in the final third in terms of our outcomes, but today, we found that magic.

"It was two great finishes from the boys and they will get a lot of plaudits, but for me, I am more pleased with the two performances from everyone over the weekend."

Rangers brought Filip Helander into the team and started with Sakala up front in the absence of Alfredo Morelos, who was granted extra time off after his Copa America duties with Colombia.

Real were without their Euro 2020 players but their team included the likes of Marcelo, Luka Jovic, Martin Odegaard and Isco.

Sakala missed a couple of chances before the visitors took the lead in the eighth minute when Rodrygo rode a challenge and netted.

Rangers had a series of first-half chances, with Ryan Kent hitting the bar from close range, before Sakala powered home an equaliser in the 55th minute after being set up by Glen Kamara's pressing.

Nacho was sent off in the 75th minute after picking up a second yellow card for a foul on Kamara and Itten soon swivelled and fired into the corner after Real failed to clear a cross.

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Olympic medal table header
CountryGold medalSilver MedalBronze MedalT
ChinaChina157931
JapanJapan154625
United StatesUnited States14141038
Olympics flagOlympic Athletes from Russia811928
AustraliaAustralia821020
Great BritainGreat Britain57618
Today's Olympic highlights header

Thursday's key events


ROWING
· Comeback queen and super-mum Helen Glover goes for her third Olympic gold alongside Polly Swann in the women's pair final (1.30am)
· There is also a medal on offer for GB pair Emily Craig and Imogen Grant in the lightweight women's double scull final (2.10am)

SWIMMING
· As second-fastest qualifier for the final, Team GB's James Wilby is among the medal contenders in the men's 200m breaststroke (2.44am)
· Alys Thomas takes part in the women's 200m butterfly final, although he faces a difficult task to challenge for the medals (3.28am)
· Caeleb Dressel of the USA has been touted by some as the successor to Michael Phelps, and he has the chance to notch up a fourth Olympic gold in the men's 100m freestyle final (3.37am)

RUGBY SEVENS
· After Team GB's men narrowly missed out on a medal, the women get their campaign underway against the Russian Olympic Committee (3am) and New Zealand (10.30am)

HOCKEY
· It is a Great Britain vs. Netherlands double-header, with the men up first in Pool B (4.15am)
· Most eyes will be on the women's showdown between the two nations, though, as Netherlands - the world's best team - look to gain revenge on GB for defeat in the 2016 Olympic final (11am)

CANOE SLALOM
· Mallory Franklin takes part in the women's canoe semi-final, and will hope to do enough to qualify for the final later in the day (6am-8.45am)

ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS
· With Simone Biles now out of the women's all-around final, the competition has been blown wide open. Team GB twins Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova are among those taking part (11.50am-2.05pm)

> Today's schedule in full
Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Athletic Bilbao00000000
2Atletico MadridAtletico00000000
3Barcelona00000000
4CadizCadiz00000000
5Celta Vigo00000000
6AlavesAlaves00000000
7ElcheElche00000000
8Espanyol00000000
9Getafe00000000
10Granada00000000
11Levante00000000
12Mallorca00000000
13Osasuna00000000
14Rayo Vallecano00000000
15Real Betis00000000
16Real Madrid00000000
17Real Sociedad00000000
18Sevilla00000000
19Valencia00000000
20Villarreal00000000

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