Rangers' Russell Martin Praises Team's Efforts Despite Need For Improvement After 2-0 Win

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Russell Martin reflected on his first match as Rangers' manager, which concluded with a 2-0 victory against Panathinaikos in a Champions League qualifier. Despite the win, Martin acknowledged areas for improvement. Goals from Findlay Curtis and Djeidi Gassama secured the win, while Georgios Vagiannidis' red card added to Panathinaikos' challenges. Martin noted, "Lots to like, lots to work on, but for a start, it was good."

Curtis opened the scoring in the 52nd minute by cutting inside from the right and delivering a powerful shot into the bottom-right corner. The situation worsened for Panathinaikos four minutes later when Vagiannidis received a second yellow card for a foul on Curtis. Gassama then capitalised on the numerical advantage by scoring at the near post shortly after entering the field.

Rangers dominated possession with 75.4% and had an expected goals (xG) total of 1.27 from 16 shots compared to Panathinaikos' 1.65 from 14 attempts. Despite this, Martin expressed a desire for further development: "We started well but had scary moments when we lost the ball and forced things." He believes these experiences will help players improve.

Looking ahead, Rangers will carry their first-leg lead to Athens next Wednesday. A positive result there could see them face either Viktoria Plzen or Servette in the third qualifying round. Goalkeeper Jack Butland emphasised their intent to win in Greece rather than defend their lead: "We go there to win the game now, not to hold on."

Butland made four crucial saves during the match and highlighted the importance of learning from mistakes that led to Panathinaikos' chances. He said, "It was really important for the tie and our season to get off to a good start." His performance, along with John Souttar's key block, contributed significantly to maintaining their clean sheet.

The victory marks a promising beginning for Rangers under Martin's leadership. The team aims to build on this success as they prepare for future challenges in Europe.