Connect with us

Sports

Rangers defender Connor Goldson backs John Souttar to be ‘unbelievable signing’ ahead of Champions League qualifier

Published

on

theheute-

Connor Goldson is adamant his new Rangers defensive partner John Souttar will bounce back and prove his quality after the Scotland international was heavily criticised following a chastening competitive debut away to Livingston.

The ex-Hearts and Dundee United player was at fault for the Lions’ opener on Saturday and generally struggled before being substituted in the second half as Rangers fought back to win 2-1
Fellow centre-back Goldson was disappointed by the online backlash against Souttar, but he has no doubts that his colleague will emerge as an asset for the Europa League runners-up.
“I’ve been really, really impressed by him from the first week that he trained after we came back from Portugal,” said Goldson.

“I was disappointed on Saturday because I saw a few things on the internet and things like that, people obviously talking bad just because he’s had one game where he probably made a few mistakes.

“We’ve all been there, I’ve been there myself. I’ve been written off plenty of times by Rangers fans but I see him every single day and see the qualities he has so I have no doubts at all he’s going to be an unbelievable signing for this football club.

Advertisement

“He’s an international player who’s 25 and has played however many games in Scottish football already. We know what we signed. He’s joined Rangers which we all know comes with pressure but you can’t judge people off one game.
“Livingston away is obviously not the easiest place to go with the (plastic) pitch and the way they play but we’ve all seen his quality and I’ve actually been more impressed just seeing him in training than what I thought of him from playing against Hearts.

ALSO READ  Bayelsa Queens set to defend NWFL title

“I knew he was a good player but everything he does is so crisp with the ball and he throws himself in front of things. He’s a great defender.”
Rangers kick off their European campaign on Tuesday with a Champions League third qualifying round first-leg match away to Union Saint-Gilloise – with the winner to face Monaco or PSV Eindhoven in the play-offs.

Winger Ryan Kent did not travel with the squad to Belgium after picking up an injury at Livingston, however, Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst revealed both Rabbi Matondo and Ridvan Yilmaz will be available for the tie.

Former Besiktas left-back Yilmaz arrived in Glasgow on Saturday and took part in a full session, as he aims to make an instant impact against the Belgium side.
Rabbi Matondo is one of seven summer signings at Rangers

New signing Matondo is also fit to travel after missing Saturday’s Scottish Premiership opener.

Advertisement

Van Bronckhorst said: “I’ve played many times in the Champions League and have coached in it, one of the strongest competitions in the world and it would be fantastic for us to be involved. We have four important games and we will try everything.

“What we did really well last season was to always enter the second game with an opportunity to go through. We have had good preparation as we are up against a very good side and we now have to execute our game plan.”

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

El-Kanemi warriors attacked by armed robbers on Jos-Bauchi road

Published

on

El-Kanemi Warriors attacked by armed robbers

El-Kanemi Warriors players and officials were attacked by armed robbers on the Jos-Bauchi road, leaving several injured and valuables stolen.

 

 

Players and officials of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) club, El-Kanemi Warriors, were victims of an armed robbery on Saturday morning while travelling along the Jos-Bauchi road.

The team was en route to Maiduguri after their 2-0 defeat to Ikorodu City in a matchday 14 fixture in Lagos on Wednesday.

Advertisement

 

Also read: Some Super Eagles players not good enough – Sports Minister

 

Reports indicate that the attackers left several members of the squad injured, with some requiring immediate medical attention. The robbers stole valuables, including mobile phones and cash, before fleeing the scene.

The injured players and officials were quickly transported to a nearby hospital in Bauchi for treatment. While the extent of their injuries is not fully disclosed, it is understood that the team is receiving the necessary care.

In light of the attack, El-Kanemi Warriors were scheduled to host Bayelsa United in Maiduguri on Sunday, but the match is now expected to be postponed by the NPFL due to the traumatic incident and the team’s current situation.

Advertisement

This attack has raised concerns about the safety of players and officials during away games in the league, particularly in regions with known security risks.

Continue Reading

Sports

Chris Sutton criticises Kylian Mbappe after Real Madrid’s loss to Liverpool

Published

on

Kylian Mbappe criticised after Real Madrid loss

Kylian Mbappe faces harsh criticism from Chris Sutton after Real Madrid’s 2-0 loss to Liverpool, with questions over his form and impact.

 

Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton has strongly criticised Kylian Mbappe following Real Madrid’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

The French star’s struggles continued as he missed a crucial second-half penalty, leaving fans and pundits questioning his impact at the LaLiga giants.

 

Advertisement

Also read: Kylian Mbappe fit for Champions League clash with Lille

 

Liverpool took the lead early on and sealed the victory when Cody Gakpo’s powerful header from a corner doubled their advantage.

Although Mohamed Salah also missed a penalty for Liverpool, his side’s commanding performance overshadowed the missed opportunity.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Sutton did not hold back in his analysis of Mbappe’s performance. “At this moment in time, there is something missing for Kylian Mbappe at Real Madrid, which will be a real conundrum for Carlo Ancelotti,” Sutton remarked.

The former Celtic and Chelsea striker added: “Let’s get it right. He had a stinker tonight. Missed the penalty and was miles off it. Him going there was supposed to take them to the next level.”

Advertisement

Mbappe’s tough debut season at Real Madrid has raised concerns about his ability to adapt to the pressures of playing for the Spanish giants.

Fans and analysts alike are debating whether Carlo Ancelotti can reignite the spark that made Mbappe one of the most sought-after talents in football.

ALSO READ  Kremlin says Brittney Griner prisoner swap with USA must be discussed without publicity

Continue Reading

Sports

Manchester City blow three-goal lead as Champions League drama unfolds

Published

on

Manchester City Champions League draw

Manchester City shockingly blow a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord, while PSG faces elimination after Bayern’s 1-0 win in the Champions League.

 

 

In a dramatic night of Champions League football, Manchester City’s struggles continued as Pep Guardiola’s side astonishingly blew a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord.

This setback came despite City being in firm control at the Etihad Stadium, where they sought to break a five-game losing streak in all competitions.

Advertisement

 

Also read: Man City close in on €40m deal for Chelsea’s Kovacic

 

City had looked comfortable after Erling Haaland’s penalty just before half-time and a deflected shot from Ilkay Gundogan in the 50th minute.

Haaland added a second, making it 3-0, but Feyenoord launched a remarkable comeback starting with Anis Hadj Moussa’s goal in the 75th minute.

Santiago Gimenez scored again in the 82nd minute, and with just a minute left, Igor Paixao crossed for David Hancko to head in the equaliser, leaving Guardiola frustrated.

Advertisement

“We concede a lot of goals because we are not stable,” Guardiola said after the match. “We lost a lot of games lately. We are fragile and of course we need a victory.”

The draw is a historic one for Feyenoord, marking the first time in Champions League history that a team has avoided defeat after trailing by three goals in the final 20 minutes.

The point boosts Feyenoord’s hopes of progressing, while City now sit two points outside the top eight, which ensures direct qualification for the knockout stages.

ALSO READ  Bayelsa Queens set to defend NWFL title

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich’s 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain has put the French side in serious danger of elimination.

South Korean defender Kim Min-jae’s header before half-time was enough for Bayern, while PSG’s woes were compounded by Ousmane Dembele’s second-half red card.

Advertisement

PSG now have just four points from five matches and sit in 26th place, a point behind the qualification spots for the knockout round.

“We need to win our last three matches, otherwise we risk being eliminated,” PSG coach Luis Enrique admitted after the match.

In other Champions League action, Barcelona secured a 3-0 win over Brest, with Robert Lewandowski scoring his 100th and 101st goals in the competition, making him only the third player in history to reach such a milestone.

Inter Milan, who remain undefeated, beat RB Leipzig 1-0 to top the group with 13 points, one ahead of Barcelona and Liverpool.

Arsenal continued their strong campaign with a 5-1 win over Sporting Lisbon, as Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Magalhaes scored in the first half, followed by a penalty from Bukayo Saka and a late header from Leandro Trossard.

Advertisement

Atalanta thrashed Young Boys 6-1, with Mateo Retegui and Charles De Ketelaere both scoring twice.

Bayer Leverkusen cruised to a 5-0 win against Red Bull Salzburg, with Florian Wirtz netting a brace, and Atletico Madrid demolished Sparta Prague 6-0, with Julian Alvarez and Angel Correa each bagging two goals.

AC Milan edged past Slovan Bratislava 3-2, with Christian Pulisic, Rafael Leao, and Tammy Abraham all getting on the scoresheet.

ALSO READ  Premier League clubs spend less than £100m in January transfer window

The night of high drama saw both thrills and spills, with several clubs edging closer to securing their spots in the knockout stages, while others face mounting pressure to avoid an early exit.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2022 TheHeute.