A rousing finish to a match Rangers looked nervous for long spells of yielded appropriate reward. Steven Gerrard retains a live chance of guiding his team into the knockout phase of the Europa League with the ultimately comfortable nature of this win significant if for the very reason Rangers were short of their best. When it mattered, their key men rose to the challenge. There is now cause – added cause – to believe Rangers can emerge from this section.
Rangers’ showing for the 1-1 draw in Portugal a fortnight ago was arguably their finest in Europe under Gerrard. The visitors were unfortunate to claim just a point. If the result did not technically offset an earlier loss to Young Boys, the display provided hope for the remainder of this group campaign.
The early stages here rather suggested Porto had not taken at all kindly to being outplayed for long spells on their own patch. Only a despairing goalline clearance from Glen Kamara prevented Pepe from flicking Porto ahead inside eight minutes.
Rangers did discover an element of collective composure after 20 minutes but their attacking play was rushed. Porto, not short in physicality, looked mildly flustered when Ryan Kent was in possession but the former Liverpool winger lacked the support to build upon moments of promise.
After Porto conceded possession to Ryan Jack, 30 yards from their own goal, Kent failed to find Alfredo Morelos, who appeared to have run offside anyway. This moment rather summed up Rangers’ error-strewn approach.
Yet fFor all Porto’s sharpness and slickness, they fell short in respect of creating opportunities. The interval at least offered Gerrard scope to alter the dynamic of the game without being in a chasing position.
Pepe’s enforced removal within five minutes of the restart supplied evidence of Porto’s aspirations. Luis Díaz, an attacking midfielder, replaced the stricken centre-back. Such positivity, though, could not raise the level of a strangely flat 15 minutes to begin the second period.
Kent did his best to liven up proceedings with a snapshot from the edge of the area that had Agustín Marchesín scrambling to make a save. It was surely of frustration to Gerrard that Morelos, the scorer of 20 goals for the season, had not been offered an adequate sight of goal.
Gerrard replaced Brandon Barker – a surprise selection and ultimately an ineffectual one – with Scott Arfield in seeking to boost potency.
Instead, a likely source fired Rangers ahead. Jack clipped the ball infield to Morelos, who took a deft controlling touch before lashing an angled shot past Marchesín. The precision of the finish was worthy of high praise; Ibrox entered into wild celebration. There is scepticism in some quarters regarding what value the Colombian will command when departing Glasgow. Moments like this add pounds.
Rangers were not content to see out a narrow victory. Steven Davis, again excellent in midfield, watched his 18-yard drive fly beyond Porto’s goalkeeper with the aid of a deflection. Morelos this time was the architect, demonstrating the versatility in his play.