Rangers 2-0 MC Alger: ten men, two late goals and a lead to take to Algeria

For 70 minutes this looked like a night Rangers would be happy to survive. Their goalkeeper was gone inside a quarter of an hour, MC Alger had the extra man and the NPFL champions were defending deep in Abeokuta. Then, in the space of four minutes, they turned survival into a two-goal lead.

The early red card

Premium Times reports that Rangers played with ten men from the 13th minute. Pulse Sports says goalkeeper Lucky Jimoh charged off his line and brought down an attacker who was through on goal outside the penalty area. It was the kind of foul that ends a goalkeeper's night but can save a game: there was no goal, and Rangers reorganised.

The numbers evened out early in the second half when an MC Alger player was shown a straight red card. Pulse Sports reports that the player refused to leave the pitch at first, which held up play for several minutes.

Four minutes that changed the tie

Rangers were awarded a penalty late on, and left-back Kenneth Igboke sent the goalkeeper the wrong way in the 84th minute. Three minutes later James Emo went on a solo run and scored the second. Reports differ by a minute on both goals; we have used the times given by Premium Times.

Two goals and a clean sheet with ten men is a strong first-leg result in African club football, where away legs are rarely comfortable. It means MC Alger need to win by at least two goals in Algeria on Friday to have a chance of going through.

What it means for the league

Rangers' NPFL game against Bendel Insurance on the same weekend was postponed because of this fixture, so they are level with Rivers United on 17 points at the top and have a game in hand. Our Matchday 9 round-up has the full table. If they get through, balancing a Champions League run with a title defence will be the story of their season.