Naderi Gives Rangers Slender Edge Over Jablonec in Conference League Play-Off
Rangers will carry a one-goal lead into the second leg of their UEFA Conference League play-off after Ryan Naderi's strike secured a 1-0 win over FK Jablonec at Ibrox on Thursday night.
The match, kicking off at 7.45pm and broadcast exclusively live on RangersTV in the UK and Ireland (Rangers FC), was the first leg of a two-legged tie — the format means the aggregate score across both matches decides who advances. Naderi's goal was the difference, and a clean sheet at home gives Rangers a narrow but useful cushion for the return leg in Jablonec next Wednesday, 27 August (BBC Sport).
It was not a performance without its rough edges. Emmanuel Fernandez endured a difficult evening, drawing groans from the Ibrox crowd at moments when his composure deserted him. At the other end of the scale, Olwethu Makhanya gave an assured defensive showing that belied the pressure of a European knockout tie — the kind of display that quietly steadies a back line.
Further forward, Djeidi Gassama and James Penrice brought industry and urgency, their willingness to press and chase keeping Jablonec honest. On the touchline, manager Derek McInnes was highly animated throughout, living every passage of play in his technical area (BBC Sport). McInnes, who has been tasked with restoring Rangers' competitive edge, knew the importance of a home first leg: win without conceding, and the equation for the away leg becomes manageable.
Rangers' path to this play-off was not straightforward. They dropped into the Conference League play-off round after defeat by Jagiellonia Białystok in the UEFA Europa League play-off — the Conference League being European football's third-tier club competition, one step below the Europa League. Had they beaten Jagiellonia, they would be preparing for the Europa League proper instead. Instead, they faced a two-legged tie against FK Jablonec, a Czech club, for a place in the Conference League group stage (Rangers FC).
The job is only half done. A 1-0 lead is a fragile thing in European football — one away goal for Jablonec next week and the tie swings back toward level terms. Rangers have given themselves a platform, but McInnes will know that the performance in the Czech Republic needs to be sharper than this.
