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By Martin DowdenBBC Scotland at Estadio da Luz, Lisbon
Last updated on 6 minutes ago.From the section European Football
Tom Lawrence headed Rangers in front after just seven minutesRangers continued their impressive Europa League campaign with a first-leg draw against Benfica after twice leading in the last-16 tie in Lisbon.
Tom Lawrence set the visitors on their way with an inch-perfect header in their first real attack after superb work down the left by Mohamed Diomande found the Welshman.
Rangers managed the game well from there but as half-time approached they suffered a controversial concession when John Souttar headed against his own arm in the box. After a VAR intervention, Angel Di Maria coolly slotted the penalty equaliser.
Rangers responded instantly and impressively. Fabio Silva played a ball in from the left, it nicked off a defender and straight to the onrushing Dujon Sterling who slammed in his first goal for the club.
Benfica applied significant pressure after the interval, although Silva had a good opportunity well saved after he escaped the attention of two defenders on the counter.
The home side's perseverance was eventually rewarded when a free-kick was angled into a dangerous area and, inexplicably, Rangers defender Connor Goldson nodded past Jack Butland in goal under no real pressure.
That sparked an upsurge in pressure and when John Lundstram was caught in possession the ball was worked back to Di Maria in a central area, but he fluffed his lines and tamely side-footed well past the post to Rangers' relief.
Rafa Silva then wildly swiped at a great opportunity and the ball sailed over. Benfica continued to press but a disciplined defence held out for a result they would have welcomed before kick-off.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Benfica
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Trubin
- 6BahBooked at 72minsSubstituted forFernándezat 84'minutes
- 4António Silva
- 30Otamendi
- 8Aursnes
- 87Gonçalves Neves
- 61Morris Luís
- 7Neres CamposSubstituted forAntunes Gouveiaat 84'minutes
- 27Fernandes Ferreira da Silva
- 11Di MaríaBooked at 34mins
- 9Mendonça CabralSubstituted forSantos Almeidaat 65'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Fernández
- 5Rodrigues da Silva
- 10Kökçü
- 19Tengstedt
- 20João Mário
- 24Jumpe Soares
- 32Rollheiser
- 36Santos Almeida
- 44Lemos Araújo
- 47Antunes Gouveia
- 75Nogueira Gomes
- 82Spencer Marques
Rangers
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1ButlandBooked at 45mins
- 2Tavernier
- 6Goldson
- 5Souttar
- 3YilmazBooked at 67mins
- 42DiomandeSubstituted forRaskinat 84'minutes
- 4Lundstram
- 21SterlingBooked at 27minsSubstituted forMcKinnonat 77'minutes
- 11LawrenceSubstituted forJackat 77'minutes
- 7Fábio SilvaSubstituted forMcCauslandat 90+1'minutes
- 9DessersSubstituted forRoofeat 76'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Jack
- 25Roofe
- 26Davies
- 28McCrorie
- 31Barisic
- 32Wright
- 38King
- 43Raskin
- 45McCausland
- 46Yfeko
- 47Fraser
- 93McKinnon
Referee:Tobias Stieler
Attendance:48,759
Live Text
Match ends, Benfica 2, Rangers 2.
Second Half ends, Benfica 2, Rangers 2.
Foul by Ángel Di María (Benfica).
John Souttar (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Rangers. Ross McCausland replaces Fábio Silva.
Attempt missed. Rafa (Benfica) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Nicolás Otamendi with a headed pass.
Corner, Benfica. Conceded by Ridvan Yilmaz.
João Neves (Benfica) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Nicolas Raskin (Rangers).
António Silva (Benfica) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Kemar Roofe (Rangers).
Substitution, Benfica. Tiago Gouveia replaces David Neres.
Substitution, Benfica. Álvaro Fernández replaces Alexander Bah.
Substitution, Rangers. Nicolas Raskin replaces Mohamed Diomande.
Attempt missed. Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Ángel Di María with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Benfica. Conceded by Jack Butland.
Corner, Benfica. Conceded by John Lundstram.
Corner, Benfica. Conceded by John Lundstram.
Attempt blocked. Ángel Di María (Benfica) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Rafa.
Substitution, Rangers. Ryan Jack replaces Tom Lawrence.
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Benfica
Squad number1Player nameTrubin
Squad number6Player nameBah
Squad number4Player nameAntónio Silva
Squad number30Player nameOtamendi
Squad number8Player nameAursnes
Squad number87Player nameJoão Neves
Squad number61Player nameFlorentino
Squad number7Player nameDavid Neres
Squad number27Player nameRafa
Squad number11Player nameDi María
Squad number9Player nameArthur Cabral
Squad number3Player nameFernández
Squad number36Player nameMarcos Leonardo
Squad number47Player nameTiago Gouveia
Rangers
Squad number1Player nameButland
Squad number2Player nameTavernier
Squad number6Player nameGoldson
Squad number5Player nameSouttar
Squad number3Player nameYilmaz
Squad number42Player nameDiomande
Squad number4Player nameLundstram
Squad number21Player nameSterling
Squad number11Player nameLawrence
Squad number7Player nameFábio Silva
Squad number9Player nameDessers
Squad number8Player nameJack
Squad number25Player nameRoofe
Squad number43Player nameRaskin
Squad number45Player nameMcCausland
Squad number93Player nameMcKinnon
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