ATHLETIC BILBAO’S stadium is known here as The Cathedral.
But Barry Ferguson’s prayers weren’t answered.
In the sensational San Mames, the Rangers boss was left looking to the heavens and asking if somebody up there didn’t like him.
Fergie’s dream is over, it just wasn’t meant to be.
It’s the La Liga outfit have advanced to the semi-finals of the Europa League as they aim to get back here to their place for the chance of lifting the trophy in 33 days’ time.
A first-half penalty from Oihan Sancet and a late header from Nico Williams left Rangers needing divine intervention that just didn’t come.
Fergie could have no real complaints when it was all over.
But at the same time it felt like everything that couldn’t have gone against him did.
He watched one defender limp off injured at the start of the first-half and another one trudge off with a fractured cheekbone in the early stages of the second.
Cyriel Dessers had a legitimate claim for a penalty turned down with Nico Raskin smacking the post at 1-0.
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To stand any chance of winning through, Ferguson needed more luck that he got – albeit ultimately Bilbao deserve their place in the last four.
This sensational city virtually ground to a standstill for this quarter-final decider.
Men, women and children packed the closed-off streets for hours before kick-off.
Thousands crowded around the plush team hotel to give Ernesto Valverde’s men a rousing send-off to the stadium.
It was like the only folk who were working were in the bars pouring pints.
Fireworks were set off. Red flares were lit. Cars horns were blasted by over-excited locals.
It was brilliant.
There was a massive police presence around the ground with gun-totting riot cops out in force. But zero hint of trouble.
The 5,000 travelling Rangers supporters were up to the gods of the spectacular £178million 53,000 capacity arena.
They were so high they were close enough to reach out to the stars in the sky and touch them.
They all knew the odds were stacked against their heroes.
Just as Ferguson and his coaching staff did too.
He said all the right things in the build-up with the former club captain faultless in the way he conducted himself.
Yet in his heart of hearts he must have feared this would be a step too far.
There were actually two penalty decisions that went Bilbao’s way in the first-half.
One Rangers were denied.
Another the home team got.
And while there could be no real complaints about the referee’s judgement on the John Souttar incident that led to the opening goal from the spot, there was justified anger from Dessers that he didn’t get one at the other end.
The fact his jersey was ripped should have proved to the referee the striker had been grabbed by defender Yeray Alvarez.
Instead the official ignored the striker’s claims and the VAR took no notice either.
To make matters worse, Dessers was even booked for throwing his torn top into the dugout in frustration.
Rangers needed the goalscorer to channel his fury and use it to spur him on but that didn’t happen.
It was just galling for Rangers that they couldn’t hold out until half-time and prevent Bilbao from taking the lead before the break.
They lost defender Ridvan Yilmaz to an injury early on and were forced to shift James Tavernier to right wing-back, Mohamed Diomande to left wing-back and and Jefte into the middle of defence with Connor Barron subbed on.
Rangers player ratings
By DAVID FRIEL
Liam Kelly: Superb first-half save from Nico Williams but no chance with the penalty opener or the winger’s emphatic header. Handling was good on the night and kicking safe. 6
Ridvan Yilmaz: Eventful, but brief, night for the Turkish full-back. Vital early block, nutmegged by Williams and then limped off injured in 23 minutes after pulling up following a sprint. 4
James Tavernier: Captain held defence together for a long period after so many disruptions but then switched off at the vital moment as Williams stole in to finish the tie. Booked. 5
John Souttar: Suckered for the Bilbao penalty. There was no need to stick his leg in and he paid the price for that one lapse in an otherwise solid display. 5
Leon Balogun: Booked in the first half as the Gers defence worked hard and was then forced off with a facial injury minutes after the break. The big stopper looked devastated. 5
Jefte: Left-back was caught on the ball early on but kept things simple after that and made some vital interceptions in a tough shift against top-class opposition. 6
Nico Raskin: Busy as always in midfield as he tried to get on the ball amid waves of Bilbao attacks. Hit the post from close range as Gers almost grabbed an equaliser. 7
Mohamed Diomande: Midfielder was asked to fill various roles and even had a shift at left wing-back for a spell. Gave everything for the team and ran himself into the ground. 7
Ianis Hagi: Romanian was given the nod in one of the attacking midfield positions. Grafted hard but couldn’t make an impact on the ball and was hooked at the break. 4
Vaclav Cerny: Czech winger has been Rangers’ Euro talisman this season and led the fight during a flurry in the second period after a quiet first half. Stinging drive saved. 6
Cyriel Dessers: Fuming after being denied a penalty when his shirt was ripped by Dani Vivian in a controversial first-half moment. Booked for his protests but blunt display overall. 5
Subs: CONNOR BARRON (6) on for the crocked Yilmaz and played well in midfield. CLINTON NSIALA (6) rookie stopper replaced Hagi and did fine on a big occasion. HAMZA IGAMANE (5) on for the stricken Balogun and fired wide in the final seconds. NEDIM BAJRAMI (2) late run-out at 2-0. DANILO (2) last throw of the dice.
While they had next to no attacking threat in the first-half their determination to keep the ball out of their net was there for all to see.
They were literally seconds away from running into the away changing room level at 0-0 when Souttar tripped attacker Maroan Sannadi.
It was one of those incidents where it’s often hard to tell which player is fouled. But the Scotland centre-back was guilty of diving into a challenge he didn’t need to make and caught the striker on the ankle.
The hope was that Liam Kelly would pull off more spot-kick heroics like he did in the first-leg.
He’d been excellent until that point.
But Sancet wasn’t to be denied.
Ferguson had a job on his hands to try and convince his team they were capable of turning it around in the second half.
Losing Leon Balogun just minutes after age restart was another blow – literally too – with the centre-back suffering a fractured cheekbone in an ugly collision with Souttar.
Ferguson had made his second change by then, replacing Ianis Hagi with Clinton Nsiala which enabled him to get Diomande back into midfield.
But Balogun’s injury forced him to change it again with Hamza Igamane thrown on. He offered far more than Dessers did but that wasn’t saying much.
Rangers had to find a threat from somewhere if they were to level the tie and in 58 minutes they were inches away from an equaliser coming from the most unlikeliest of sources.
Raskin isn’t known for his finishing.
Yet he found himself into the penalty box with a great chance to score, only to see his shot saved and hit the post.
It wasn’t to be.
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Williams powered a header past Kelly with ten minutes remaining after Tavernier was caught ball watching and Rangers had nothing left to give.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
