Star Metro - Rangers down Mourinho's Fenerbahce to reach Europa League quarters

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Rangers down Mourinho's Fenerbahce to reach Europa League quarters

SPORTS 13.03.2025

Rangers down Mourinho's Fenerbahce to reach Europa League quarters / Photo: ANDY BUCHANAN - AFP

Jack Butland was the hero as Rangers held their nerve in a penalty shoot-out to dump Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce out of the Europa League and reach the quarter-finals on Thursday.

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The Turkish visitors stunned Ibrox by fighting back from a 3-1 first-leg defeat in Istanbul to win 2-0 on the night and force penalties in the last-16 tie.

Butland saved two spot-kicks though as Mourinho, who was left fuming after an extra-time penalty decision went against his side, narrowly failed to mastermind a comeback.

Rangers, two-time runners-up in the competition, will face Athletic Bilbao in the last eight.

The Glasgow giants are bidding to salvage their season in Europe after a miserable Scottish Premiership campaign, with former midfielder Barry Ferguson now in interim charge following the sacking of Philippe Clement.

Rangers started well but could not increase their overall lead and fell behind on the night when Sebastian Szymanski brilliantly hooked a volley into the net on the stroke of half-time.

Szymanski levelled the contest on aggregate with 17 minutes remaining by poking the ball past Butland as the match headed into extra time.

Both teams went close to a winner as the game became increasingly stretched, with Fenerbahce goalkeeper Irfan Can Egribayat making a fine save from a James Tavernier free-kick.

Mourinho was booked for his protestations, animatedly making the VAR sign on the touchline, after Mert Hakan Yandas was clipped by Nicolas Raskin in the area but no penalty was given.

It was Rangers who made a dream start to the shoot-out when Butland saved Dusan Tadic's opening spot-kick with his legs.

Egribayat turned Ianis Hagi's penalty onto the post to make it 2-2, but former Manchester United midfielder Fred then saw his effort kept out by Butland before Yandas spooned over to send Rangers through.

A.Rogen--SMC

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