You couldn't have written the script. As bad boy Alfredo Morelos sat at home after being banished from the Rangers squad it was the man who has filled his boots this season who scored the glory goal to end a 12-year wait to take the club back to the promised land of the Champions League as Giovanni van Bronckhorst was rewarded for the boldest of calls.
Many questioned the decision of the Dutchman to leave Morelos behind as his team jetted out to Holland for a winner-takes-all playoff second leg. But it paid off big style as he put all of his faith - and a potential £30 million - onto the shoulders of Antonio Colak. The former PAOK Salonika man, signed for just £1.8 million in the summer and written off in the first couple of weeks of his Ibrox career, delivered with the only goal in the Philips Stadium to seal a 3-2 aggregate win to make up for eliminating Gers from the Champions League in Malmo colours last season.
It was a nerve-shredding night in the heat of Holland but Colak kept his cool to slot away the simplest of chances in the second half - his fifth goal in a Gers shirt - as the visitors punished PSV for schoolboy defending as Van Bronckhorst won the battle of the Dutch legends to leave Ruud van Nistelrooy gutted and ensure Rangers name will be alongside Celtic's in the group stage draw in Istanbul on Thursday tea time.
Rangers have enjoyed some memorable nights in Eindhoven in Europe from Bobby Russell's winner in the late 1970s to Jorg Albertz in the late 1990s but this will rank along side both.
Glen Kamara has been at the centre of speculation surrounding his future at Ibrox with a string of clubs linked with the Finnish midfielder but, having not been in the squad for the Hibs game at the weekend, he replaced Steven Davis in the only change from the first leg.
Rangers were met with a raucous home crowd who had infuriated boss Van Bronckhorst as the visitors team bus had to take an alternative entrance to the Philips Stadium and that possibly contributed to a slow start.
With pumped-up PSV fans behind them, the Dutch started on the front foot but Gers grew into the game and applied some pressure but in the opening 20 minutes both goalkeepers only had routines saves to make.
The best chance of the opening half came midway through when Malik Tillman shifted teed up John Lundstram and the shooting chance opened up for him but the midfielder sent his shot just the wrong side of the post. The Scouser had his head in his hands, he knew he should have hit the target.
Corners proved to be Rangers’ undoing in the first leg as they conceded both goals in that manner and they almost lost a third in the tie from a set-piece as they were relived to see first leg opening scorer Ibrahim Sangare’s header go over. But it was a let-off and another warning.
If Rangers were lucky to survive that then they had another two huge moments of fortune in the closing stages of the first half and PSV must have wondered how they weren’t ahead. The first came when skipper Luuk de Jong fired straight into the grateful arms of Jon McLaughlin from Jordan Teze’s cross before boy wonder Cody Gakpo scooped the ball over after Ismael Saibari fed him.
De Jong went off injured at the break with former Ibrox target Xavi Simons his replacement but it was the visitors who almost grabbed the lead in sensational style just before the hour mark when Tom Lawrence’s curling effort crashed off the crossbar.
That gave the Light Blues a lift and a few minutes later they were in dreamland as PSV shot themselves in the foot. Colak pressured Armando Obispo to play the ball back to keeper Walter Benitez who shifted it to Andre Ramalho but Malik Tillman brilliantly picked his pocket before squaring to Colak who had the simple task of knocking it into the empty net.
The pressure was now on PSV and as they pushed forward, the door was open at the back. Tillman then had an effort himself which Benitez parried while at the other end Jon McLaughlin continues to defy any doubters with a brilliant stop to deny Gakpo.
Here’s 5 talking points from the Philips Stadium.
Amazing Antonio
He had his early critics but Antonio Colak has responded emphatically with his fifth goal in as many games and none more important than this. In fact, he probably won’t score a more vital strike at Ibrox. For just £1.8 million he has just earned the Light Blues a potential £30 million. Shrewd business.
Promised land the place to be
Yes, the Europa League can throw up some glamour ties. And yes there is money to be made. But when you have been in it for four seasons in a row and even reached the final then it doesn’t quite get the juices flowing in the way the Champions League does. Hearing that Zadok the Priest theme tune in the playoff gave Rangers a taster and now they can look forward to the real deal of the group stage for the first time in 12 years.
Shifting Sands opinion
James Sands has been forced to play in the centre of defence with Giovanni van Bronckhorst down to the bare bones in that department. The versatile American can play there but came in for a bit of criticism in the early part of this season. However, he has grown into the role and having been a bit-part last term looks like he could be a real asset for Rangers if they decide to take up the option of making his move from New York City permanent.
Gold Firm
Rangers now join rivals Celtic in Thursday’s Champions League draw in Istanbul and it’s the first time both clubs have been in the group stage since 2007/08. It’s a huge boost for Scottish football and both could drive each other on to do well in club football’s biggest competition and could play a part in the title race.
Penny for Alf’s thoughts
He was pictured in the gym on the eve of this match but it was too little, too late for this one for Alfredo Morelos. So what now for the Colombian? He loves to be the main man and would have been forced to watch from his house as the player who filled his shoes became the hero. His ambition has always been to play in the Champions League but he might have to get in line now for a place in the team with Colak the strike star.
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