Rangers draw with Copenhagen in friendly run-out

Jan 16, 2024 1 min read
Rangers’ Rabbi Matondo scored against Copenhagen (Steve Welsh/PA)
Rangers’ Rabbi Matondo scored against Copenhagen (Steve Welsh/PA)

Rangers returned to action with a 2-2 draw with FC Copenhagen in an open and entertaining Ibrox friendly.

Rabbi Matondo’s first-half goal for the Govan side was cancelled out by a Kevin Diks header after the break.

Cyriel Dessers, one of a raft of Gers substitutes, struck from close range after 75 minutes before another Light Blue replacement, Johnly Yfeko, scored an own goal.

Following a training camp in Spain, it proved a worthwhile run-out for Philippe Clement’s side with a host of players getting game time before Saturday’s Scottish Cup tie against Dumbarton.

On a freezing night in front of a half-filled Ibrox, Matondo missed the target with an erratic effort in the 12th minute before side-footing in the opener seconds later with a more accomplished finish from just inside the box after a drive towards goal.

The visitors made a host of changes for the second half and Rangers finished the game with a different side to the one which began the evening, with fit-again Ryan Jack, Tom Lawrence and Borna Barisic notably back again after various injuries.

Copenhagen deservedly equalised in the 71st minute when Diks headed in a Christian Sorensen corner but minutes later Dessers calmly dinked in from a couple of yards before missing a great chance to grab his double soon afterwards when he failed to hit the target from inside the box.

Rangers paid for that profligacy in the 79th minute when Yfeko inadvertently put through his own goal from another Sorensen corner.

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