Rangers 1 Tottenham 1: Super-sub Kulusevski saves Spurs as Postecoglou leaves Ibrox with crucial Europa League point
ANGE POSTECOGLOU was looking decked on his Glasgow return – and then up stepped Decky.
Dejan ‘Decky’ Kulusevski, to be specific, who came off the bench to rescue his boss with a late leveller that chalked off Hamza Igamane’s opener.
But ex-Celtic chief Postecoglou survived the Ibrox bear pit thanks to another old Bhoy in Fraser Forster, who pulled off a stunning late stop to deny Cyriel Dessers.
Defeat would have plunged Postecoglou’s injury-hit Spurs further into crisis.
And while they were by no means convincing here, the main thing is they came away unbeaten and with something to build on.
Postecoglou claimed on Wednesday that the injury crisis crippling his squad is the worst he has ever faced “by a fair stretch”.
Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero joining Ben Davies on the treatment table – along with Guglielmo Vicario, Wilson Odobert, Mikey Moore and Richarlison – left him perilously short at centre-back.
It meant 18-year-old Archie Gray, a boyhood Celtic fan due to his family’s love of the Bhoys, started in the middle of defence alongside last-man-standing Radu Dragusin.
The great-nephew of Scotland legend Eddie Gray is a defensive midfielder by trade.
But he has been largely used at full-back by Postecoglou and here was drafted into the middle.
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https://twitter.com/footballontnt/status/1867322965404139797 https://twitter.com/footballontnt/status/1867316311740596633Gray’s Celtic allegiances did not appear to be widely known among the Gers fans, judging by his reception.
But Fraser Forster’s certainly were and he was roundly booed throughout.
Forster, in for the injured Guglielmo Vicario, had his best years at Celtic Park, including a magnificent performance to help beat Lionel Messi’s Barcelona in 2012.
The 36-year-old has deputised well during Vicario’s absence and made another smart stop early doors here to tip over Nedim Bajrami’s effort.
But while Forster looked sharp, his out-field team-mates seemed sluggish.
Twice Gray attempted to dribble up field and play a ball round the corner, only to surrender possession with a poor pass.
Pedro Porro was equally guilty of giving the ball away, sparking a Gers’ attack with one such lazy delivery which ended with Mohamed Diomande blasting well over.
While the less said about Timo Werner’s attempt to trap Fraser Forster’s pinpoint long ball the better.
Postecoglou had opted to play his out-of-form captain Son Heung-min through the middle and leave £65million striker Dominic Solanke on the bench,
But luckless Son struggled to impose himself on the Philippe Clement’s backline, which lost centre-back John Souttar to injury ten minutes before the interval.
This was a throwback game for former England stoppers, with Jack Butland in nets for the hosts and Forster for Spurs.
Butland’s kicking out from the back looked suspect but he made a brilliant stop to deny Brennan Johnson from close range, even if the offside flag would have bailed the ex-Stoke keeper out anyway.
Spurs were poor but Rangers looked toothless, even if Forster did pull off another decent stop to keep out Vaclav Cerny’s drive just before the break.
Postecoglou had a point about his lengthy absentee list but it was not as if the side he put out here was lacking in quality.
But the volume of games recently and the inability to rotate had left them looking tired.
One player who looked bereft of confidence – and quality, in honesty – was Werner.
So it was no surprise to see him hooked at the break with player of the season Kulusevski sent on to breathe some life into Postecoglou’s sleepy side.
Yet they failed to wake up in time to stop Igamane coolly slotting home James Tavernier’s delivery two minutes into the second half.
That sent Ibrox potty – with a number of the diehard fans literally bouncing behind Forster’s goal.
It could have been worse ten minutes later too were it not for Diomande’s low effort deflecting the wrong side of the post.
In between, Brennan Johnson had a golden chance to level but steered a cutback wide, much to Postecoglou’s frustration on the sidelines.
That proved to be Johnson’s last meaningful action as on the hour as he was hooked as part of a triple sub that saw Dominic Solanke, Pape Sarr and 18-year-old Lucas Bergvall sent on.
Spurs looked to be heading for a first defeat for an English team to a Scottish side in 18 years.
But then when Solanke sent a ball across the box which James Maddison shielded, there was Kulusevski to fire home a leveller.
It got Postecoglou out of jail – even if his struggling side were anything but convincing on the ground of his auld enemy.