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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Mark Pirie

Rangers kids set Champions League bar against Napoli as they claim first Youth League group stage points

Rangers youngsters have shown Gio van Bronckhorst 's side how to see off Napoli as they impressed in their UEFA Youth League showdown against the Italian side.

The clock is ticking down until Rangers face off against Luciano Spalletti's in form team, who boast an unbeaten record so far this term and sit at the top of Serie A. It looks set to be a monumental task for the Light Blues to secure their first points of the Champions League group stage, but they could maybe take some inspiration from David McCallum's Colt team who earned a 3-2 win at Firhill.

Goals from Mackenzie Strachan and Charlie Lindsay in the first-half put the Ibrox kids in control, but Pasquale Pontillo's second half strike gave the visitors a lifeline. Robbie Ure netted the third with a deflected strike from distance, and Leonardo Rossi's late consolation couldn't stop Rangers moving level on points with second-placed Ajax to put themselves back in the race for the knockouts.

Strachan opened the scoring in Glasgow as he fired the ball into the net after a poor clearance from the Napoli goalkeeper as he punched away a free-kick. Zak Lovelace then looked to have added a second but it was chopped off by the linesman.

The summer arrival converted after some neat play by Ross McCausland, but Ure was adjudged to be in an offside position when the former Millwall forward converted. However, it would be two before the half-time whistle.

Lindsay Charlie Lindsay met a driven cross from James Harkness from the right flank. That put Rangers in cruise control when the half time whistle sounded, but Pontillo gave Napoli a foothold in the second half.

With the away side pressing for an equaliser, Ure ended the game as a contest. His ambitious effort took a slight deflection off the Napoli defender to find the top corner.

There was time for a late consolation for the visitors. Rangers failed to clear a cross, before Leonardo Rossi took advantage to poke the ball into the bottom corner.

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