Real Betis 2 Rangers 3: Roofe wins thriller as Gers secure Seville salvation to march on to Europa League last 16
TWO miles from the scene of so much sorrow, Rangers at last found salvation in Seville.
Nineteen months after losing the Europa League Final in the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan - Gers battled their way to glory just down the road in the Benito Villamarin.
On a night of incredible drama, Kemar Roofe hit the winner 12 minutes from time to send the Light Blues through to the knockout stages as group winners.
It was a first home defeat of the season for Real Betis - and undoubtedly Philippe Clement’s biggest win since taking charge.
Down to the bare bones - missing so many key players - his Rangers side stunned Manuel Pelligrini’s men to lay the ghosts of May 2022 to rest.
Remarkably, this was Gers’ first ever European victory against Spanish opposition on Spanish soil.
In so many ways, it was achieved against all the odds.
Now Clement’s men turn their attention to Hampden and the Viaplay Cup Final.
It’s a trophy that’s eluded the Ibrox club for too long and one they are desperate to claim against Aberdeen.
In failing to finish the job against Aris Limassol, Rangers left themselves with it all to do in Spain.
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Pelligrini’s side had lost just once since crashing to defeat at Ibrox on September 21.
They hadn’t lost at home all season.
At the weekend, they came from behind to draw with Real Madrid.
They were firmly in the driving seat to finish top of Group C - thus avoiding a hazardous play-off against one of the Champions League drop-outs in February.
Not for the first time, Clement didn’t have his selection troubles to seek.
In midfield, there was no Todd Cantwell, no Ryan Jack, no Tom Lawrence, no Nico Raskin and no Scott Wright.
At the back Gers were without Leon Balogun and Ridvan Yilmaz, while Brazilian striker Danilo is sidelined for four months with torn medial ligaments.
As a result, Clement was forced to make four changes with Sam Lammers, Ross McCausland, Connor Goldson and Ben Davies returning to the starting line-up.
What followed was a truly breathless first half of football.
Twice Rangers took the lead, twice Betis drew level.
If some of the defending had been poor, some of the attacking had been exhilarating.
James Tavernier dragged an early shot wide, before William Carvalho forced Jack Butland into his first save of the night.
Sam Lammers did well to pick out Sima at the back post, the winger’s shot deflected inches past the post.
Then, with just ten minutes on the clock, Gers stormed into the lead.
A poor clearance by Betis keeper Rui Silva was headed into McCausland’s path by Tavernier.
The Gers youngster tore at the Real defence before threading the ball through for Dessers.
He couldn’t bring it under control, but it broke for Sima who drilled home,
Gers’ lead lasted just four minutes.
Tavernoer’s headed clearance was picked up by Juan Miranda who played a neat one-two with Borja Iglesias on the edge of the box.
McCausland hadn’t tracked the full-back’s run and he punished Rangers with a fine finish.
Then, a manic two minutes.
Isco was the creator, crossing for Iglesias who completely missed his kick inside the box.
The ball broke for Héctor Bellerín who forced Butland into a fine save.
Rangers couldn’t clear their lines and seconds later Andrés Guardado rattled the crossbar with a stunning effort.
Yet, just when it seemed Gers were on the ropes, Jose Cifuentes broke.
His superb pass released Dessers, who still had so much to do as he raced in from the left.
But twisting his way past two Betis defenders, the much-maligned Nigerian slotted the ball through the legs of Silva.
It was a fantastic solo goal, but once again, Rangers couldn’t hold on to their lead.
Butland made another routine save to deny Ayoze Perez - but two minutes later he punished yet more slacking defending by the visitors.
Davies was guilty of giving the ball away, Goldson was then guilty of giving Isco too much time on the edge of the box.
The former Real Madrid playmaker turned this way and that, before slipping a pass through for Perez.
He took it first time, curling a quite superb finish right into the bottom corner.
Dujon Sterling replaced Cifuentes at the start of the second half.
Betis were first to threaten - Assane Diao’s header from a corner crashing back off the bar.
Butland then pulled off a brilliant point blank save with the ball hitting Davies’ hand on the way out.
At the other end, Lammers was fouled right on the edge of the Betis box, with the Gers players convinced he’d been tripped inside.
Serbian ref Srdjan Jovanovic was having none of it and Borna Barisic’s free-kick struck the wall.
There had been absolutely no let up in the drama or the tension.
With a little under half an hour to go, Clement threw on Roofe and Rabbi Matondo.
It was his last throw of the dice.
How it paid off.
With 78 minutes gone, Davies flicked on Barisic’s corner.
Goldson did so well to play it back across goal with Matondo getting the initial touch.
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His effort was blocked with the ball breaking for Roofe - taking it first time he found the back of the net to send 4,000 travelling Gers fans wild.
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