Feb 2019 Thursday 07
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
1 Thursday 07 Feb 2019 roma and rangers: tournament dangers Raja Club Athletic 0 - 3 Rangers FC AS Roma 5 - 2 PSG Thursday 07 Feb 2019 2 3 & A RED CARD ON A NIGHT OF OUTSTANDING FOOTBALL “THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR YOUNG “WE CAME TO SEE OUR TEAM! LADS HERE IS INCREDIBLE. THEY’VE OUR BLOOD IS GREEN LIKE RAJA PLAYED VERY WELL AGAINST THE CASABLANCA!” 10 RAJA TEAM. IT’S THE FIRST AL KASS GOALS TOURNAMENT I’VE BEEN AT. SOME OF Scottish youth international Cole McKinnon to men versus 10 men, and we controlled most neatly turn and fire home. Another talented of the game. Our boys produced their best international to impress was highly-rated football, but I hope they do not get too THE OTHER GUYS HAVE BEEN HERE midfielder Kai Kennedy, and his cool finish comfortable with this win because we have gave Rangers a 2-0 interval lead. other games coming up. I am confident Matt Yates added a third in the closing stages that, with this performance, our team will BEFORE. IT’S GREAT, FANTASTIC.” Glasgow Rangers and Roma produced of the game to complete an emphatic easily make it to the quarter-finals. Alkass the most dominant performances of the victory for Rangers, who enjoyed 67% of is definitely an amazing tournament. We tournament so far, brushing aside Raja possession. want our players to have the opportunity Casablanca and reigning champions PSG to play against the best teams in the world “When I heard Roma was playing, I immediately came respectively on the third day of the 2019 Roma were every bit as impressive when and prove themselves. You just have to look Alkass International Cup. smashing five goals past PSG keeper Louis around - Aspire Academy is fantastic, and here because I try not to miss any of their games, and Mouquet in a game that featured three we are delighted with the facilities and the The likes of Real Madrid, Etoile Sportive Du penalties. way we have been treated since we came I have even been to Rome to watch them play in their Sahel and Spartak Moscow have conjured Edoardo Bove’s brace and Tommaso here.” moments of outstanding creativity and Milanese’s strike had seen the Italians home ground. Roma did not perform well in previous goalscoring prowess this week, but Rangers scorch into a 3-0 lead, and Nicola Zalewski Fabrizio Piccareta, AS Roma head coach and Roma played well for the full 90 minutes added two more from the spot, even though “It was quite clear that we were the better tournaments, but they are very organized this year and I and were full value for their victories. Matteo Cancellieri had earlier missed a team. Although I knew PSG were the penalty. champions last year and won the first Alkass have high hopes from them.” Moroccans Raja had been impressive when tournament, every year is different, and my defeating hosts Aspire Academy two days PSG, who scored through Isaac Karamoko team were well prepared. earlier but, despite being roared on by their and skipper Kenny Nagera, have been far “The first match is always not easy, and I enthusiastic fans, they had no answer to the from their best this week, and have failed to believe we can do even better, but I am skill and passing movement of the Scottish impress in either of their games. proud of the players and we will make sure TOP PLAYERS - MATCHDAY THREE outfit. Their chances were not helped when Rangers and Roma, however, were full of skill, to improve as we did in the second half, in defender Lahya Laamech was sent off after slick passing and quick thinking, and both order to stay in the lead.” Match 1 Match 2 20 minutes after bringing down the former sides will feel confident of going all the way in England Under-15 international Nathan the competition. Laurent Huard, PSG head coach Young-Coombes on the edge of the box. “It’s very difficult this year, and I feel Kai Alexander KENNEDY, Rangers Edoardo BOVE, Roma Views of the coaches disappointed. Roma attacked very quickly 1 goal for Rangers in their 3-0 win over 2 goals for Roma in their 5-2 win over Raja were already a goal down by then as David McCallum, Glasgow Rangers head from the very start. There were some Raja Club Athletic PSG the impressive Young-Coombes, who recently coach technical problems, and maybe a lack of joined the Gers from Chelsea, had set up “Our players were terrific today. It was 11 passion, but that is not an excuse.” Al Kass International Cup Thursday 07 Feb 2019 4 5 Raja Club Athletic GK Yassine ZOUBIR DF Walid HAOUZI DF Adham EL KHALFY DF Abdelkhalek CHOUROUKI (C ) DF Yahya LAAMECH MF Rayane MOURAJID MF Oussama ZEMRAOUI MF Anas MTITACH FW Chiboub ABDENNABI RANGERS ROMP HOME MF Ismail EL IDRISSI EL ARARI AGAINST 10-MAN RAJA FW Elhoussine RAHIMI Glasgow Rangers ran out easy winners pass from the right, jinking effortlessly past two with Coombes delivering a particularly Rangers FC against Raja Casablanca in a match that the defenders before burying the ball low to the eyecatching performance. On 65 minutes, young Scots dominated from start to finish. keeper’s left. he almost scored with an impudent overhead kick, only for Zoubir to produce a GK Lewis Kevin BUDINAUCKAS Raja had come into the game off the back The best that Raja had managed in the stunning save to tip the ball over. DF David Kyle MCCLELLAND (C ) of a narrow victory over Aspire Academy, opening exchanges was a succession of DF Harris David OCONNOR thanks in no small part to their Qatari free kicks from wide on the right, each of Moments later, Ross McCausland cut in from MF Ciaran DICKSON opponents being reduced to nine men. This which had floated harmlessly into the arms of the left, but his low shot rolled just wide of the MF Kai Alexander KENNEDY time round, it was the Moroccans’ turn to Rangers keeper Lewis Budinauckas. Reduced far post. And, with 10 minutes remaining, the MF Murray Joseph MILLER face a numerical disadvantage, although to ten men, they suddenly found it difficult to pacey attacker once again broke free inside DF Leon John Phillips THOMSON they struggled to cope against the well- get out of their own half. However, just before the area and should have made it three, MF Cole MCKINNON drilled Scots from the outset. the interval, they almost reduced the deficit but his weak shot from 12 yards out did not DF Matthew HENDERSON when Elhoussine Rahimi was set free down unduly trouble Zoubir. FW Ross Leslie Alan MCCAUSLAND After a strong start, Rangers went ahead the right by a defence-splitting cross-field FW Nathan Jay YOUNG COOMBES on 15 minutes. Cole McKinnon set off on a pass. The tall winger did the difficult part by The traffic was by now almost entirely one driving run into opposition territory before rounding Budinauckas, but was then unable way, and substitute Alexander Lowry spurned laying off to Nathan Coombes, who beat to direct the ball home from a wide angle. another chance moments later when one- his man down the left before cutting back on-one with the keeper, choosing to shoot from the byline. McKinnon pounced, turning But it was the boys in blue who were when he had the option of rounding the sharply and firing a rising drive into the roof of undoubtedly in the ascendancy, and they Moroccan stopper. Ciaran Dixon then set the net. tightened their grip on the game in the off on a powerful surge down the right, MAN OF THE MATCH second period. unleashing a strong shot that Zoubir did Coombes went close to doubling the brilliantly to keep out, but the Rangers advantage five minutes later, seizing on a Rangers’ senior side is currently enjoying midfielder was first to the rebound, cutting Kai Alexander KENNEDY, low free kick to spin and drill a low shot that a renaissance under the management of back for Matt Yates to apply the simplest of Yassine Zoubir struggled to hold. The Rangers Steven Gerrard. The Liverpool legend was finishes. winger was terrorising the Casablanca once described by none other than Zinedine Rangers backline and, on 22 minutes, he forced Zidane as the best midfielder in the world, Seconds later, Reibelt pointed to the an ill-timed lunge from right back Yahya and his winning combination of talent, spot after Dixon went to ground under a MVP of the Match Laamech on the edge of the box. Australian determination and hard work remains an challenge from Abdellah Azrour, only for referee Reibelt reached straight for her inspiration to footballers everywhere, not least VAR to make its now customary intervention. pocket, showing Laamech his second yellow this talented group of Glaswegian youngsters. The referee amended her decision and of the game, which was immediately – and And, if Gerrard was watching from afar, he awarded a free kick instead, although inevitably – followed by a red. would undoubtedly have been impressed by replays suggested there had been little or no the tenacity shown by his young charges, contact. In the event, it mattered little, as the Things soon got worse for the Moroccans, final whistle sounded seconds later. when livewire Kai Kennedy latched onto a The Experts “ I know that Raja Casablanca had Yahya Laamech sent off and, after that, Rangers dominated the game but to be honest they were dominating before that. They look extremely strong, they’re physically strong, and also very mature in the way they play.