Rangers players stand up to task

THERE is no doubt this has been a difficult week for Rangers. It could never be easy to see a team-mate dropped over fitness and attitude concerns.

Alfredo Morelos' omission from the squad commanded much of the build-up to the Champions League qualifier against PSV Eindhoven, but the Rangers players stood up and performed admirably to seal group stage football in Europe's elite competition.

There were performances all over the park which highlighted the major quality in the Rangers squad even with a talented - if sometimes tricky - Morelos missing.

Jon McLaughlin made some terrific stops in the Netherlands with a Luuk de Jong effort well blocked and a Cody Gakpo strike brilliantly palmed clear.

James Sands continued his Rangers coming of age as he was solid in the backline alongside Connor Goldson. The American's place has been questioned by some, but he looked comfortable for much of the night on the big stage.

In a match which perhaps acted as a microcosm of his Rangers career, he had a couple of slips in the opening stages but steadied and looked solid from then on.

Malik Tillman and Tom Lawrence continued to look sharp in the Rangers attack and Antonio Colak netted the vital winner to send Rangers through.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst nails big decisions

THE Rangers manager has faced some criticism over his willingness to chop and change his selection week-by-week.

And in the Netherlands it was no different as Steven Davis - so impressive in the first-leg - was on the bench with Glen Kamara coming in.

Van Bronckhorst's decision to make a move for Colak paid off and his position as first-choice striker is certainly warranted after his start to life at Ibrox.

Even deciding to give McLaughlin the No1 shirt raised some eyebrows but in Eindhoven Van Brocnkhorst's selections were unquestionable.

Not only does the win earn Van Bronckhorst major credit for his selection on the night, but also his shrewd business in the transfer window.

Tom Lawrence, Malik Tillman and Antonio Colak all showed thier quality in a huge match with Rangers earning a seat at European football's top table.

Shocking stadium arrival scenario

For all the positivity surrounding the Rangers win over PSV, the shocking scenes outside the stadium cannot be ignored.

PSV fans surrounded the Rangers team bus as it was parked outside the stadium and goaded the players. The Rangers squad can no doubt handle that.

However, they shouldn't have been made to wait 20 minutes in a bus with PSV fans packed outside and banging on the windows.

Van Bronckhorst described the scenes as the worst he's seen as he revealed an appeal to push back kick-off was denied.

In Europe's elite competition, things like safe and sharp entry to the stadium should be expected - but unfortunately in the Netherlands it wasn;t the case.