It may only have been the Veolia Trophy in a friendly tournament, but Steven Gerrard and his Rangers players lifted their first silverware under the manager this evening.

Hardly the Champions League trophy, granted. But with the Premiership campaign coming up being one of the most important races in recent history, any sort of psychological advantage should be welcomed. Celtic were part of the friendly competition, too.

Jermain Defoe and Jamie Barjonas were on target for Gers as they beat OGC Nice 2-0 in Lyon to seal the trophy, get game time into the players' legs and boost morale ahead of the August 1 league kick-off.

Gerrard opted for a strong starting XI for his side's second friendly within three days. The majority of positions on the pitch were filled with what is likely to be Rangers' starters for the upcoming season. Ryan Kent, Gers' £7million man, started on the left despite his red card in midweek for a petulant slap on Lyon defender Marcelo.

The sending off did not result in a ban, thankfully for the Light Blues, but Kent had some making up to do. Allan McGregor returned after Jon McLaughlin had started against Lyon while Defoe was given the nod ahead of Alfredo Morelos from kick-off.

The action was relatively light in the early proceedings as Connor Goldson headed over from a corner and Ianis Hagi had a decent strike from the edge of the area parried by Nice goalkeeper Yoan Cardinale between the sticks. Yet, despite the quiet opening, Rangers' creative players looked interested from the start, with Kent and Joe Aribo in particular making an impression.

And, so it was, Kent who put the ball on a plate for Defoe to slot home the opener five minutes before the half-time whistle. The impressive Aribo robbed his man in the centre of midfield to find Glen Kamara and he spread the play brilliantly to Kent who had made a clever run in behind. The former Liverpool winger watched Defoe race away inside and his inch-perfect pass found the veteran to sweep it home past Cardinale.

Alexis Claude-Maurice had a gilt-edge chance to level things up on the hour-mark after a clever one-two. The striker, formerly of Lorient, went with a first-time effort but he couldn't hit the target and the ball trickled wide of the far post from an effort just outside the six-yard box.

Then came the first raft of changes for the Ibrox men. Morelos and Jamie Murphy replaced Defoe and Ianis Hagi in the forward areas while new signing Calvin Bassey was given a run out alongside Scott Arfield and Steven Davis. 

Gerrard will have been satisfied with his players' ability to adapt to Nice's substitutions with manager Patrick Vieira bringing on his more experienced stars with 20 minutes to go. Kasper Dolberg, the £18million man who scored against Celtic on Thursday evening, was kept fairly quiet as was Ihsan Sacko whose only real effort was ballooned over the cross bar as he hared in on goal following a long, hopeful ball forward.

Kent continued to probe the Nice backline and almost got lucky after a mazy run but he couldn't find Jamie Murphy inside the area. Pierre Lees-Melou then had a strike saved well by McGregor from outside the box before Amine Gouiri had a half-volley parried by the Gers number one as the French outfit began to turn the screw.

Connor Goldson had a flick-on from a corner saved well by the goalkeeper in the closing stages and Jamie Murphy should have scored after rounding the 'keeper, but Rangers saw out the victory, in the end with a late second goal from youngster Jamie Barjonas.