Highlights: Panathinaikos 1-1 Rangers
Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter successful Athens
When nan last whistle blew connected a blisteringly basking Athens nighttime wherever Rangers had astatine points been some tremendously valiant and desperately vulnerable, Russell Martin's broadside had yet sewage what they came for.
When nan tie for nan Champions League 2nd information qualifier threw up Panathinaikos, it looked nan astir hazardous of first steps to nan convention phase, and Rangers rode their luck from each nan measurement from Glasgow to Greece.
And yet while they person immoderate Greek wastefulness and Jack Butland heroics to convey for their transition into nan adjacent round, nan characteristic demonstrated by a squad successful nan early days of an overhaul by nan caller caput coach was to beryllium admired arsenic they drew 1-1 connected nan nighttime to advancement 3-1 connected aggregate.
Martin had asked his players to beryllium resilient successful nan look of nan Panathinaikos onslaught, and while different areas of their crippled would person been concerning, they delivered that successful spades.
"We will get better. The group will turn truthful overmuch from this," Martin said aft nan game. That's his situation now, to adhd nan value to nan foundations of nan characteristic his squad has shown complete these 2 testing encounters.
"That's nan large point for maine pinch Russell Martin, is that he thrives connected nan training ground," erstwhile Rangers goalkeeper Cammy Bell said connected BBC Sportsound.
"The longer he has pinch his players, nan amended they will get.
"This Rangers squad showed a spot of character. It's each affirmative astatine nan moment, they conscionable request to support this momentum going."
'That's really you build a team'
Djeidi Gassama will bargain nan headlines aft his 2nd stunning, and vital, extremity successful arsenic galore games.
The hosts had conscionable gone successful beforehand connected nan nighttime arsenic VAR yet realised Filip Duricic was onside erstwhile he headed by Butland. The Rangers reservoir had yet been burst, and location was still plentifulness clip near successful nan timepiece to overhaul Rangers' shrinking aggregate lead.
However, Gassama popped up 3 minutes aft coming connected and 7 minutes aft that opener to slash a ferocious changeable successful disconnected nan station to halt nan hosts' momentum.
Despite his impact, though, fewer embodied that Rangers squad tone amended than John Souttar, who stood gangly astatine nan bosom of nan defence erstwhile nan Greek broadside were threatening to tear Rangers apart.
"That's really you build a team, coming done those reliable moments," Souttar told BBC Scotland.
"It shows our mentality. There are going to beryllium times things don't spell our way. We've sewage [Butland] to convey because he was fantabulous again.
"We could person been amended connected nan shot but it's a caller squad and that's a large triumph for us."
'Style of play seems for illustration it's not really working'
That nonaccomplishment to look aft nan shot was a recurring taxable crossed nan 2 legs. Time and again successful nan first-halves of some legs, Rangers players gave up possession cheaply.
They were fortunate not beryllium punished against Panathinaikos, but arsenic they advancement done nan qualifying rounds and to, they hope, nan Champions League convention phase, specified sloppiness simply has to beryllium ironed retired of their game.
"If Gassama hadn't scored then, I deliberation Rangers could person perchance conceded nan crippled because astatine that constituent they were each complete nan spot still and Panathinaikos were still dominant," said erstwhile Rangers striker Peter Lovenkrands connected Sportsound.
"Rangers don't really person time. The style of play correct now, seems for illustration it's not really moving correct now. That needs to beryllium tidied up earlier nan adjacent round."
That adjacent information will spot Rangers up against nan Czech broadside Viktoria Plzen. Another reliable test, and 1 successful which Martin's broadside will request to beryllium better.
"You would expect they are astir apt weaker opponents than Panathinaikos, but if Rangers play for illustration they've played complete nan 2 ties, they're going to make it difficult for themselves," said erstwhile Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday.
"Rangers are a activity successful advancement and will decidedly amended connected what they've shown complete nan 2 legs.
"There are a batch of things for them to activity connected and caller faces will thief arsenic well."