analysis Ibrox side left to sweat as Slovenes turn up the heat with first-leg victory
But the humid conditions the Ibrox club were forced to endure inside the Ljudski Vrt Stadium will be nothing compared to the heat they will face if they are unable to turn this tie around in the second leg next week.
Already eliminated from the Champions League at the qualifying stage, the last thing Ally McCoist needs now is to be faced with the prospect of losing out on the financial trappings of a European run to a team that were no more than average.
While the new signings are finally beginning to arrive, with Americans Carlos Bocanegra and Alejandro Badoya both signing three-year deals this week, owner Craig Whyte will also find himself coming under increased scrutiny should Rangers fail to progress in the Europa League.
It all started so well for the Scottish champions when they took the lead through Juan Manuel Ortiz but, following Maribor’s equaliser early in the second half, Rangers looked anything but convincing for the remainder of the match.
However, it appeared as though they were going to hang on for what would have been a respectable 1-1 draw with the added bonus of an away goal. That was until Etien Velikonja scored with just seconds remaining.
McCoist managed to solve the defensive problems facing him last night by including Bocanegra in his defence to form a central partnership with Dorin Goian. Having left his home at 4am to begin an epic journey -- it required him to board two flights before driving for over an hour -- the United States internationalist finally arrived at Rangers’ team hotel with just hours to spare ahead of this tie with Maribor.
Deprived of the services of Kyle Bartley and David Weir through injury, and missing Steven Whittaker and Sasa Papac because of suspension, McCoist had little option but to go with Bocanegra after beating the deadline to sign him from St Etienne.
The Rangers manager also decided to revert back to a more conservative 4-5-1 formation, with Steven Naismith in a deeper role in a five-man midfield and Nikica Jelavic deployed as a lone striker.
Although designed to offer additional protection to the back four, there was a scary moment for Rangers just a minute into the game when Lee Wallace was short with a pass to Bocanegra, allowing Dalibor Volas to rob him of possession and McGregor had to be alert to block Ales Mertej’s shot.
It was evident from the opening exchanges that Maribor, like Malmo, who eliminated Rangers in the Champions League qualifying rounds, possessed a degree of quality from middle to front but appeared vulnerable at the other end.
Indeed, Jelavic went close with a couple of efforts before the all-important away goal arrived after 31 minutes. It was created by a most unlikely source and was finished by another.
Kirk Broadfoot displayed a rare moment of skill and trickery as he turned Agim Ibraimi inside out before delivering a low cross into the penalty area and Ortiz arrived to turn the ball into the back of the net for his first goal for the club.
That seemed to stun the Slovenes and, when Maurice Edu won possession in an advanced area and played in Jelavic, the Croatian striker really should have at least hit the target instead of turning his effort wide.
Inevitably, as is often the case when taking the lead away from home, Rangers started to defend deeper and deeper towards the end of the first-half. That invited added more pressure on themselves than McCoist would have liked but they remained resolute until the interval.
Naismith picked up a booking and that possibly contributed to McCoist’s decision to withdraw him at the interval and give Kyle Lafferty his first competitive appearance of the season as he made his return from a groin injury.
It would have been Rangers’ intention to maintain their advantage in the hope it would force Maribor to commit players forward but, as it turned out, their lead lasted only until the 52nd minute.
Maribor were given a little help from Edu, who was too busy debating referee Manuel Grafe’s decision to award a throw-in and allowed the hosts to exploit the space in midfield. The American paid the price as Ibraimi dispatched the ball past McGregor, who didn’t look too clever as he was beaten at his near post.
From being in a position of relative strength, Rangers started to lose their way and Robert Beric passed up a good opportunity with a free header before McGregor was forced to produce an reaction save to block another headed effort, this time from Volas. Edu almost made amends for his earlier misdemeanour when he lashed a 30-yard shot wide.
It was Maribor who were exerting the greater pressure, though, and Rangers buckled in stoppage-time. Wallace was beaten far too easily by Dejan Mejga and his cross was back-heeled in by substitute Velikonja.
The Rangers players sank to their knees. They must now find a way to recover if they are to avoid dropping out of European competition altogether this season.
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