Rangers have been accused of playing ‘small football’ that saw Michael Beale’s side ‘practically unable’ to get over the halfway line in their win over Real Betis.
That’s the opinion of Marca anyway, who come up with a strange attack on the Scottish side today following the game last night.
Rangers beat the Spanish side at Ibrox, thanks to a goal from Abdullah Sima, to get their Europa League group stage campaign off to the perfect start.
The game proved to be an evenly matched one, with Rangers managing 18 shots and five on target, Betis 12 and four on target and possession split at 47% to 53%.
It was ultimately Sima’s goal that proved to be the difference and secured Michael Beale’s side all three points, but it seems parts of the Spanish press were unimpressed by the football they got to see from the Scottish side.
Marca label Rangers as a team that plays ‘small football’ who were ‘practically unable’ to get past the half way line and into Betis’ half for most of the game.
Most of their anger seems to be at Betis, who missed a chance to break their hoodoo of never winning in the UK and had more than enough chances to win the game but instead allowed Rangers to do so with a goal they very much think Beale’s side didn’t deserve.
Sport and Mundo Deportivo are a little less critical of Rangers, simply saying that Betis ‘could not get up’ in the game and the Scots took advantage of that.
They say the second half proved to be key for Rangers, who were supported mostly by Rabbi Matondo with a performance that ‘drove the Betic defence crazy’.
According to them, Rangers enjoyed ‘dominance’ in that second 45 minutes and eventually found their goal after Sima reacted following a scramble in the box.
That was something Betis couldn’t react to and thus the home side ran out as winners, leading to a ‘party’ at Ibrox.
