More punishment for Rangers at the hand of a Belgian opponent. A familiar combination of self-destruction and the poor defending endemic under Russell Martin deepened the gloom. Reduced to ten men after Mohamed Diomande’s reckless first-half challenge, insult was added by Genk’s goal being scored by a former Celtic striker in Oh Hyeon-gyu.
Martin has talked of “results coming through difficulty” but could barely have chosen to manage a club where poor results will cause more difficulty. Ibrox was undersold, just 38,000 there, though in attendance was Andrew Cavanagh, the co-owner glad-handling fans before kick-off. The American health insurance entrepreneur’s scheduled visit to Glasgow has allowed him to experience what fans have been served during his choice of manager’s short reign.
A competition that returned European glory nights to Govan in recent years has gained even more importance. If falling so far behind Celtic , and Hearts , damns Martin, a repeat of the 9-1 Champions League qualifier drubbing by Brugge could only deepen his unpopularity. Martin had made one change from a weekend League Cup win over Hibernian that brought temporary relief, Youssef Chermiti making his first start as centre-forward.
Genk, coached by former Bayern Munich player Thorsten Fink, 14th in the Belgian Pro League are no crack Belgian side like Brugge or St Gilloise, and after an early scare when Zakaria El Ouahdi escaped, Rangers dominated possession. Mikey Moore had two early chances. The teenage Englishman hurried the second wide when better advised to let Nicolas Raskin take the ball on.
A warning was sounded by Oh Hyeon-gyu missing a chance granted by Jayden Meghoma vacating his left-back station. Patrik Hrosovsky soon struck a post to further remind that so many of Rangers’ current problems are the result of lax defending.
Joris Kayembe looked to have handled James Tavernier’s header, if accidentally, but the busy Slovenian referee, Matej Jug, came to Genk’s rescue when ruling the Rangers captain had pushed the Congolese defender. Diomande’s red card was far less debatable, studs wildy raking El Ouahdi’s leg. A third red card of Martin’s short reign indicates another area of concern. His team appears determined to make life difficult. Diomande’s exit brought Ibrox to a muttering hush though boos broke the night air when Jug returned to the video screen to rule Tavernier had clipped Yaimar Medina for a Genk penalty.
When Jack Butland saved Oh’s poor penalty, there was rapture, Rangers fans at last having something to cheer were rocking the rafters as half-time came.
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The break saw Moore withdrawn for another summer signing in Oliver Antman. Rangers pushed on, Thelo Aasgaard slicing an early half-chance but Butland remained busy, making two saves during a pinball of Genk shots. Rangers’ keeper could only watch as Oh slid to a very gettable ball but connected with the wrong foot to divert wide. Oh would not be denied, escaping to slip Jarne Steuckers’ pass beyond Butland, unprotected by another defensive malfunction.
Oh was denied his second goal, a marginal offside call curtailing his touchline celebrations with Fink.
Rangers were still in the contest, Martin shifting to three in defence in the chase for an equaliser, though an emptying Ibrox reflected a lack of faith in any rescue mission, despite Connor Barrett having his shot deflected behind. It is reported Martin has four games to save his job. One down, three to go?
