Atletico A Step To Far For Youths

Rangers 0 Atletico Madrid 4

It’s been a great watching Rangers Under 19’s in the Champions Youth League as they over came Young Boys and Slovan Bratislava, but in yesterday’s game at Firhill they found Atletico Madrid a step too far. The Spanish side were a class apart.

In left back and captain Fernando Gastnaga, attacker Rodrigo Riquelme and number 10 Mario Soriano drifting left it formed a triumvirate on that side of the pitch that Rangers couldn’t cope with.

Yet Rangers should have taken the lead in the fourth minute, James Maxwell’s free-kick from the left found Rhys Breen unmarked and bang in front of goal but he headed straight at Jose Saldana in the Atletico goal. Within a minute there was a chance at the other end when Fernando Ramirez found himself in possession inside the right side of Rangers penalty area but he shot straight at Lewis Budinauckas.

There was only six minutes on the clock when Atletico took the lead, Lewis Budinauckas got caught under Mario Soriano’s superb corner from the left and Manuel Maroto rose highest to head into the net. Rangers tried to respond from Nathan Patterson’s driven cross from the right hand byline but Dapo Mebude failed to connect properly with his attempted volley and the ball bobbled to keeper Jose Saldano.

With the half-hour approaching Atletico cut open Rangers and sent Rodrigo Riquelme breaking through the inside left channel, he skipped past Danny Finlayson into the box but shot just wide of Lewis Budinauckas left hand post. Five minutes before the break the ball was moved from Marc Urena on the left hand angle of the box through Nacho Quintana to Fernando Ramirez inside the right side of the penalty area but he shot straight at Lewis Budinauckas.

A minute later Atletico pounced on a slack Cammy Palmer pass and Marc Urena’s shot from the edge of the box had Lewis Budinauckas leaping to turn the ball over.

Half-Time:- Rangers 0 Atletico Madrid 1

Atletico doubled their lead five minutes after the break, Rodrigo Riqueleme skinned Nathan Patterson on the left side of the penalty area and close to the byline, his deflected shot looked likely to cross the line but Nacho Quintana followed in to make sure. With the midpoint of the half approaching Ciaran Dickson passed to Josh McPake inside the box, a great turn took him away from a defender and into the left side of the box where he fired across the face of goal.

With the game now in the final quarter hour a defensive slip left Marc Urena through on goal and with Lewis Budinaickas off his line he had the goal at his mercy but the striker shot wide of the keeper’s right hand post. The third goal was only delayed a few minutes, it was created by the impressive Rodrigo Riquelme in possession on the left side of the box and he passed inside to the equally impressive Mario Soriano who shot into the bottom right hand corner.

With a minute remaining Rangers came close to grabbing a consolation goal, James Maxwell got to the left hand byline and his cutback picked out Ciaran Dickson but his shot was deflected over. A quick break saw Atletico score a fourth, Nacho Quintana broke on the right and passed inside to Mario Soriano who moved the ball on to substitute Alberto Maldonado who fired into the net.

The focus now is for Rangers Under 18’s ensure they remain top of the youth league and qualify for next year’s competition.

Full-Time:- Rangers 0 Atletico Madrid 4

Rangers:- Lewis Budinauckas; Nathan Patterson, Danny Finlayson, Rhys Breen, James Maxwell; Cammy Palmer (Joao Balde,  73 mins)Murray Miller (Nathan Young-Coombes 52 mins), Ciaran Dickson; Josh McPake (Kane Ritchie-Hosler 73mins), Dapo Mebude, Kai Kennedy.

Not Used:- Jay Hogarth (Gk), Zac Butterworth, Kyle McClelland, Leon King.

Atletico Madrid:- Jose Saldana; Javier Hyjek, Marco Ojeda (Adrian Gomez 92 mins), Manuel Maroto, Fernando Gastnaga; Adrian Garcia; Nacho Quintana, Mario Soriano (Carlos Mosquera 92 mins); Fernando Ramirez (Alberto Maldonado 61 mins), Marc Urena (Adrian Urbina 85 mins), Rodrigo Riquelme (Diego Lorenzo 85 mins).

Not Used:- Alex Fernandez (Gk), Iker Ortega.