Kulusevski secures a point at Ibrox
The first real effort of the game came from Timo Werner but he was off target with a curling shot while it was Rangers with the first shot on target, Nedim Bajrami’s drive forcing Forster to tip over the bar on 10 minutes. There was a lot of attacking impetus from both sides, a real open feel to the contest which led to chances at both ends. Rangers midfielder Jefte was caught in possession and we broke quickly but the Brazilian got back to prevent Brennan Johnson getting onto the end of Heung-Min Son’s cross, while Vaclav Cerny’s volley needed smothering by Forster before Jefte’s dangerous cross somehow evaded Bajrami in the six-yard box.
The game was being played at either end of the pitch with midfield play almost non-existent and there were half chances with almost every attack, however there just wasn’t enough craft and guile in the final thirds to fashion a goal although Forster had to make a save low down with his legs to deny Cerny on the stroke of half-time.
While there were no goals in the first half, it took just two minutes of the second period for the deadlock to be broken, the home side taking the lead when Moroccan Igamane produced a neat side-foot volley from James Tavernier’s cross to beat Forster. That lifted the roof off Ibrox and we had to negotiate a tricky spell but could have drawn level in the 54th minute, half-time substitute Kulusevski sliding a ball across the box to Johnson but he fired over the bar. James Maddison then hit a 20-yard free-kick over the bar and Pedro Porro brought a save out of Jack Butland from a tight angle as we pushed for the equaliser.
When it did come with 15 minutes left, it was a beauty. We kept the ball well at the back and in midfield, working it around until the space appeared for Kulusevski to thread a pass in behind for Dominic Solanke, he cut the ball back to the edge of the area where Kulusevski had moved into and he provided a clinical finish past Butland.
A superb block from Tavernier prevented Solanke’s volley from testing Butland in the 83rd minute, before Forster made the save of the night to thwart Dessers, who did so well to beat two defenders to create a chance from 12 yards out.
