Danny Röhl Praises Rangers’ “Fighting Spirit” After Extra-Time Defeat to Celtic
Rangers manager Danny Röhl has hailed the resilience and determination of his players after they took Celtic to extra-time despite being reduced to ten men in a dramatic Premier Sports Cup semi-final clash at Hampden Park.
Already trailing 1-0, the Ibrox side were dealt a major blow midway through the first half when midfielder Thelo Aasgaard was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Celtic defender Anthony Ralston. The sending-off left Rangers facing an uphill battle, but Röhl’s men refused to give up and clawed their way back into the contest.
Their persistence paid off when Anthony Ralston conceded a penalty after handling Djeidi Gassama’s shot inside the box. Captain James Tavernier calmly converted from the spot to bring the sides level and give Rangers a lifeline going into the second half.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Rangers continued to press and create opportunities, putting Celtic under pressure for long spells.
However, the game threatened to turn once again when Auston Trusty caught Jack Butland in the head with a late challenge, though the Celtic defender was only shown a yellow card — a decision that left many feeling the numbers could easily have been evened up.
Rangers eventually ran out of steam in extra-time, with Celtic sealing a 3-1 win through goals from Callum McGregor and Callum Osmand, but Röhl remained proud of his team’s effort and attitude.
Speaking to Premier Sports after the match, the German boss said:
“What I liked was the spirit after the red card from my team. They really fought until the end and put in a lot of effort. We had good chances to make it 2-2, but in the end there was a lot of defensive work to do. Today we couldn’t get the win, but I’m proud of how we played.”
Röhl also refused to criticize the referee for Aasgaard’s sending-off, insisting he would need to review the incident before passing judgment.
“It’s not my part to discuss that,” he added. “If it’s a red card, then it’s a red card. We just had to deal with it and keep going. The players showed great fight, and even with ten men, we stayed brave and organized.”
The defeat brings an end to Rangers’ hopes of lifting the Premier Sports Cup this season, but Röhl will take heart from the commitment and mentality shown by his squad under difficult circumstances.
He concluded,
“It was a tough result, but the fight and passion from the team made me proud. We’ll take that spirit forward into the next games.”
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