Rangers draw with PSV Eindhoven in UCL playoff 1st leg

Aug 22, 2023, 11:57 pm

Rangers twice let a lead slip away in a 2-2 draw with PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of a Champions League qualifying playoff on Tuesday.

PSV captain Luuk de Jong's header in the 80th minute -- though he appeared to know little about the decisive contact he made -- was a second leveler for the 1988 European Cup winners, who hosts the return game next week.

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The second leg will take place on Aug. 30 with the winners advancing to the lucrative 32-team group stage, which is drawn the next day in Monaco.

Rangers and PSV played to another 2-2 draw in Glasgow as they did at the same stage in Champions League qualifying exactly one year ago. Then, Rangers went on to win 1-0 in Eindhoven.

There was nothing to separate Rangers and PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League playoff.
There was nothing to separate Rangers and PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League playoff.
Photo Prestige/Soccrates/Getty Images

The Scottish club first led in the 45th when Senegal forward Abdallah Sima sent a rising shot past goalkeeper Walter Benítez. It resulted from PSV midfielder Ibrahim Sangaré losing the ball inside the penalty area.

Sangaré made amends by equalizing in the 61st. The Ivory Coast international, who has been a reported transfer target for Bayern Munich and Liverpool, placed his right-footed shot when in space near the penalty spot after teammate Ismael Saibari cleverly faked to shoot.

Rangers led again in the 76th when substitute Rabbi Matondo finished a fast break with a sweeping first-time shot. The advantage lasted less than four minutes before veteran Netherlands forward De Jong struck.