Midweek Youth Update

It was a busy couple of days with Rangers 2005’s playing in Hearts Invitational Tournament at The Orium over Tuesday and Wednesday, and Rangers 2006’s taking on Dundee United at The Hummel on Tuesday night.

First up for Rangers 2005’s on Tuesday morning was a game against the US ODP (Olympic Development Programme) East Region. With the games being played over two thirty minute halves.

Rangers 2 US ODP East 1

Rangers took the lead in the opening minute, Kian Gunn passed to Tyler Pasnik who passed to Callum Sandilands inside the right side of the penalty area and his shot found the net high to the keeper’s right despite him getting a hand to it. Rangers had the bulk of first half possession but struggled to create anything clearcut and the half finished with no further scoring.

Half-Time:- Rangers 1 US ODP East 0

Early in the second half Callum Sandilands passed to Tyler Pasnik and his shot from around twenty-five yards was just wide of the keeper’s right hand post. Two minutes later the Americans had a great chance with an attack that took them through the centre of Rangers defence with Scott Cowie standing up to make the save.

Just before the midpoint of the half a short pass back presented the ODP side an equaliser.  Rangers responded by immediately regaining the lead, a flick on from Euan Ross released Tyler Pasnik inside the right side of the box and he shot high past the keeper.

The next attack in the game saw Scott Cowie save bravely at the ODP attacker’s feet as they broke through the middle. Rangers were immediately back on the attack with Tyler Pasnik breaking into the right side of the penalty area before shooting just over.

Rangers came close to increasing their lead twice in the closing stages. The Trialist passed  to Zak McKay inside the right side of the box, the keeper parried his shot and Richard Van Cruigen couldn’t force the ball over the line. Zak McKay then turned provider passing in from the right to Callum Sandilands who shot straight at the keeper.

Full-Time:- Rangers 2 US ODP East 1

Next up for Rangers was a game against Dynamo Brest from Belarus. It turned out to be an eventful sixty minutes, in a long time watching youth games I have never seen anything like it.

Rangers 0 Dynamo Brest 2

First of all Rangers never performed and struggled to create chances but they came up against a bigger team who were physical and with a cynicism rarely seem at professional level never mind U14’s. The Belarus side finished with nine men but used every trick in the book to stop Rangers, breaking up play and wasting time throughout.

Rangers had the better of the early stages and when Zak McKay played a one-two with Richard Van Cruigen on the right side of the box he passed inside to Tyler Pasnik who shot over. With thirteen minutes gone another short pass back from Rangers presented their opponents with a goal. Within two minutes the Belarus side attacked on the left and when the ball was cut back from the byline it was converted at close range.

Rangers tried to reply with a Zak Queen free-kick from the right that was swung into the box and the keeper was forced to touch the ball onto the bar and over. Just before the break Jamie Newton fouled a Dynamo player in midfield, with both players on the ground the Rangers player was punched and the Dynamo player was red carded.

Half-Time:- Rangers 0 Dynamo Brest 2

Rangers were fortunate not to fall further behind early in the second half when Dynamo attacked into the right side of the box and their player was brought down by Callum Sandilands but the penalty was struck against the crossbar. With play in and around Rangers penalty area Dynamo’s centre back aimed a kick on Tyler Pasnik on the halfway line. It was spotted by the lineman who flagged and brought it to the attention of the referee who flashed a second red card.

A couple of minutes later the referee stopped the game when he noticed Dynamo had thrown on a sub without taking anyone off !!. At this point the linesman was heard to say “I have never seen anything like it “. Rangers struggled to create anything in the remainder with the Belorussians in their full cynical mode, fouling, feigning injury and generally doing anything to break up the play, encouraged by coaches dotted around the pitch.

Full-Time:- Rangers 0 Dynamo Brest 2

On to Wednesday where Rangers would compete with Hibernian and two of the US ODP Regions for places fifth to eighth. First up was a game in the indoor pitch against Hibernian.

Rangers 2 Hibernian 2 ( Hibernian won 3-2 on penalties)

Rangers struggled in the first half but with a much better performance in the second half they turned the game around only to lose an injury time equaliser.

Hibernian took the lead on four minutes, an enterprising run from left-back took him deep into Rangers box where he squared the ball for the striker to fire into the net. Around the midpoint of the half Tiaman Scott on the right passed inside to Tyler Pasnik who hit a powerful shot from the edge of the box but straight at the keeper.

The Edinburgh side then had an attack that took them into the right side of Rangers penalty area but shot wide of the far post.

Half-Time:- Rangers 0 Hibernian 1

Rangers were level seven minutes into the second half from a brilliant individual goal from Tyler Pasnik. Moving from left to right along the eighteen yard line he passed two defenders before firing a right foot shot into the keeper’s top left hand corner. Four minutes later Rangers were ahead, Tyler Pasnik firing a free-kick on the right hand angle of the box over the wall and into the far top corner.

Hibs had a couple of chances that took them into the right side of Rangers penalty area but both efforts were week and failed to trouble Jacob Pazikas. With the game in injury time Hibs had one final effort and broke through the inside right channel with the striker finishing with a sublime lob over Jacob Pazikas. So it was then on to a penalty shootout with Hibs converting three to Rangers two.

Full-Time:- Rangers 2 Hibernian 2 (Hibernian won 3-2 on penalties)

Rangers then finished with a playoff for seventh and eighth places against US ODP Midwest Region. Rangers dominated from start to finish with both Rangers keepers virtual spectators, although they ended with only one goal to show for their domination.

Rangers 1 US ODP Midwest 0

Rangers first real effort on goal came on eleven minutes when Zak Queen’s long-range effort had the keeper stretching to clutch under the crossbar. Richard Van Cruigen then exchanged passes with Gavin Gallagher on the right side of the box before forcing a near post save from the keeper.

Five minutes before the break Gavin Gallagher side-stepped a defender on the edge of the box before shooting narrowly over.

Half-Time:- Rangers 0 US ODP Midwest 0

Rangers made the breakthrough in the opening minute of the second half. Ryan Murray won possession and broke into the left side of the penalty area and passed inside to Gavin Gallagher who side-stepped a defender before poking the ball past the keeper. The keeper was tested a few minutes later when he held a Tyler Pasnik shot from the edge of the box.

A brilliant piece of skill from Tyler Pasnik took him past two defender and into the box on the left hand byline, he tried a shot from a tight angle that the keeper saved. Within a couple of minutes Tyler Pasnik was breaking into the right side of the box and on this occasion the keeper dived to parry his shot.

Rangers next chance came when Tiaman Scott passed to Tyler Pasnik inside the left side of the penalty area where he fired a shot across the face of goal. The final chance came from a Gavin Gallagher pass to Tiaman Scott who danced past a defender inside the box before seeing his shot saved.

Full-Time:- Rangers 1 US ODP Midwest 0

Rangers Squad:- Scott Cowie (Gk), Jacob Pasnik (Gk), Adam Forrester, Ryan Murray, Callum Sandilands, Brodie Kerr, Kristian Webster, Zak Queen, Euan Ross, Richard Van Cruigen, Jamie Newton, Tiaman Scott, Kian Gunn, Trialist No.14, Gavin Gallagher, Zak McKay, Tyler Pasnik.

 

Rangers 3 Dundee United 4

On Tuesday night Rangers 2006’s lost to an impressive Dundee United side at the Hummel Training Centre. At one stage training 1-4 the young Rangers side showed a bit of character to come back and almost draw level.

Rangers had a couple of early chances to take the lead, on four minutes a great Crispin McLean pass sent Rory Wilson clear but his shot was weak and the keeper saved easily. Good play from Elliot Dunlop on the right side of the penalty area set up another chance for Rory Wilson who failed to connect properly and the keeper comfortably saved.

Rangers were to rue those missed chances when they fell behind on eleven minutes, they failed to clear a corner from the left and the ball was eventually converted from close range. Within a minute the visitors attacked into the right side of the penalty area and Evan Anderson was forced to save at his near post.

Just before the quarter-hour mark United doubled their lead, despite a valiant effort from Evan Anderson a powerfully struck free-kick from just outside the box found the net. Rangers immediately reduced the deficit when Rory Wilson dispossessed a defender to race clear and slot past the keeper.

Early in the second period the ball broke for Dundee United on the edge box and it was fired past Evan Anderson. Rangers fell further behind when Niall Rogerson was robbed on the right hand byline and the ball was centred before being fired into the net. 

Rangers attacked through Rocco Friel who broke on the right and exchanged passes with Rory Wilson before forcing a save from the keeper at his near post. Rangers pulled a goal back when Crsipin McLean progressed along the byline and passed to Leighton Grant who moved it on to Rory Wilson who scored from close range.

Another superb Crispin McLean through ball sent Rory Wilson racing clear but on this occasion he was denied when the keeper raced from his line to make the block. At the beginning of the third period Rory Wilson was only just wide of the keeper’s right hand post from a free-kick. 

Five minutes later Rangers were only a goal behind when they scored a superb goal. A good passing moved ended with a Zander Hutton pass into Rory Wilson inside the box, his turn left the defender for dead as he fired past the keeper. Both sides could have added to their tally  with Rangers best chances coming from two Crispin McLean deliveries from free-kicks that only need a touch to convert.

Full-Time;- Rangers 3 Dundee United 4

Rangers Squad:- Evan Anderson (Gk), Sam Kane (Gk), Zander Hutton, Dylan Brown, Cooper Knox, Leighton Grant, Niall Rogerson, Elliot Dunlop, Kerr Robertson, Rory Wilson, Crispin McLean, Kole Connelly, Jamie Bradley, Ricco Friel.