Revealed: The best and worst-case scenarios for Irish League quartet in European draws
The Blues will be first to discover their opponents in the Champions League first qualifying round with that draw taking place on Tuesday, before the Invermen, Reds and Swifts enter Wednesday's Conference League draw – with the latter in the second qualifying round.
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Glasgow Times
31 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Djeidi Gassama brace puts much-changed Rangers in control against Viktoria Plzen
The Gers boss hit out at some of his squad following their deflating 1-1 draw at Motherwell on Saturday, questioning mentality, egos and application, and captain James Tavernier and midfielder Nicolas Raskin were the biggest names among the expected changes. Martin got the required reaction as winger Djeidi Gassama scored after 15 minutes with his third European goal in three ties before returning striker Cyriel Dessers added a second from the spot just before the interval. Djeidi Gassama, centre, and Cyriel Dessers scored the Rangers goals (Andrew Milligan/PA) Gassama, signed this summer from Sheffield Wednesday, scored a third in the 51st minute to put the Govan side into a commanding lead and eventually a comfortable win. The Light Blues will be heavy favourites for the return game in the Czech Republic next Tuesday, with a play-off tie against Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg or Club Brugge of Belgium awaiting the winners. After pointing the finger at his under-performers at the weekend, all eyes were on Martin's team selection and he made significant changes. Along with Tavernier and Raskin – arguably Gers' best player last season – Danilo and Kieran Dowell were left out. New signing Oliver Antman, the Finland winger who joined from Go Ahead Eagles on Monday, made his debut – and was terrific – with left-back Jefte, midfielder Lyall Cameron and Dessers returning while John Souttar was named captain. Russell Martin rang the changes (Andrew Milligan/PA) The Ibrox crowd was more subdued than usual on a big European night, initially. In the seventh minute Plzen's lofty striker Rafiu Durosinmi headed a cross from Amar Memic past the post but it was Gassama who struck first, playing a one-two with Dessers at the edge of the visitors' box before confidently curling the ball past keeper Florian Wiegele. After Gers defender Nasser Djiga brilliantly blocked a goal-bound shot from visiting captain Matej Vydra, Antman's drive from a Gassama cut-back at the other end was cleared off the line by Vaclav Jamelka. Bizarrely Raskin, warming up on the sidelines, was booked by French referee Clement Turpin for apparently trying to interfere at a Plzen throw-in as the Czech side began to exert some pressure. However, when a driving run into the box by Antman ended with him being barged over by Vydra, referee Turpin pointed to the spot for a soft penalty and Dessers sent Wiegele the wrong way. The impressive Oliver Antman wins the penalty for Rangers's second goal (Andrew Milligan/PA) Rangers started the second half strongly and within three minutes midfielder Mohamed Diomande struck the bar with an effort from the edge of the box. However, the third soon arrived as Gassama grabbed his second when he bulleted in a header from a pinpoint Antman cross from the right. There were occasional moments of sloppiness in the Gers ranks throughout the rest of the second half but they remained unpunished. Raskin, Danilo, and Tavernier all came off the bench when the job was done, before in the 83rd minute Gers keeper Jack Butland made a good save from a powerful drive from Memic. After the negativity of Fir Park, it was a more positive performance from the home side although there has to be much more to come from Martin's men.
Glasgow Times
31 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Jorge Costa death: Tearful Jose Mourinho pays tribute to former Porto captain
Reports in Portugal say the former centre-back, who was Porto's director of football, suffered a heart attack at the club's training ground. 'It's part of my history that goes,' an emotional Mourinho said at Fenerbahce's press conference ahead of their Champions League qualifier against Feyenoord in Rotterdam. José Mourinho won in 2004 de Champions League met FC Porto. Jorge Costa was toen zijn aanvoerder. De voormalig profvoetballer overleed vandaag op 53-jarige leeftijd aan een hartstilstand. — Voetbalzone (@voetbalzonenl) August 5, 2025 'You have captains, you have leaders. It's not about the armband, it's about what you represent. 'Jorge was one of these guys I used to say 'clean the garbage' and let the coach do his job as a coach and not as a leader of the dressing room. 'That's perfection for a coach when the captain does this work. Of course I'm very sad, but let's forget football. 'Let's focus on him, Jorge, a young guy and his kids that I met when they were really kids and now, of course, they are grown men. 'O meu coração é azul e será sempre azul' #E2ERNO — FC Porto (@FCPorto) August 5, 2025 'Of course I am very sad but I'm here because if he could speak with me now he would tell me, 'Come on, do your press conference and tomorrow play the game and win mister. Forget about me'. 'That would be Jorge. So that's what I am going to try to do. Do my job today, do my job tomorrow, and then cry after.' Costa was a senior Porto player for 15 years between 1990 and 2005 and made 324 appearances for the club. As well as the Champions League, Costa won the UEFA Cup and eight Primeira Liga titles at Porto. He retired in 2006 after spending the final year of his career at Standard Liege in Belgium. 'He was a fantastic person who always got his point across. Everyone respected him because of his ability. He was a great lad.' Alan Curbishley pays tribute to Jorge Costa ❤️#cafc — Charlton Athletic FC (@CAFCofficial) August 5, 2025 Costa won 50 caps for Portugal and spent a season on loan at Charlton in the Premier League in 2001-02. Porto posted on X: 'Jorge Costa has left us. One of us, a leader, a captain, a role model. A symbol of FC Porto. Thank you for being FC Porto until the end. Goodbye, Jorge Costa.' Former Charlton boss Alan Curbishley said: 'He was a fantastic person who always got his point across. 'Everyone respected him because of his ability. He was a great lad.'
Glasgow Times
31 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Russell Martin hails Rangers response as much-changed side hammer Viktoria Plzen
The Gers boss hit out at some of his squad following their deflating 1-1 draw at Fir Park on Saturday and Tavernier, midfielder Nicolas Raskin, attacker Kieran Dowell and striker Danilo were left out. New signing Oliver Antman, the Finland winger who joined from Go Ahead Eagles on Monday, made his debut – and was terrific – with left-back Jefte, midfielder Lyall Cameron and striker Cyriel Dessers returning while John Souttar was named captain. Oliver Antman, right, impressed on debut (Andrew Milligan/PA) Winger Djeidi Gassama scored after 14 minutes, Dessers added a second from the spot just before the interval and summer signing Gassama's fourth goal in three European ties put the Govan side into a commanding lead for the return leg of the Champions League third qualifier next week. Boss Martin said: 'I really enjoyed it. I'm proud of the guys. 'We had a really difficult afternoon/evening on Saturday, just because there was not enough running in behind, aggression, intensity with the ball. 'We were not just ranting and raving, we showed a lot of clips and we tried to do a lot of learning in the meeting room and on the pitch in the last couple of days and they took it on brilliantly. 'The guys that came in the team were fantastic. We're going to need everyone. 'You don't get dropped from this team, people come in and out quite a lot because we need to be fresh. 'So it's not easy to leave people out. But the guys that came out of the team came on and did brilliantly as well. So I'm pleased. James Tavernier was a second-half substitute (Andrew Milligan/PA) 'The thing I'm annoyed about is the last 15 minutes, we probably dropped a bit of intensity, but it's understandable with the schedule we've had.' Martin claimed Tavernier was understanding of Martin's decision to leave him on the sidelines. He said: 'Yeah, yeah, he was great – all the guys. 'I say my piece, if they have a piece to say, then it's really respectful and really honest. 'But I think the way he played when he came on showed you everything you need to know. So there's been no problem and I don't envisage there being any problems moving forward. 'Dani and Dowell came out as well, and no one person's harder than the other in terms of conversation. Russell Martin celebrates victory with his Rangers players (Andrew Milligan/PA) 'It's not easy when you care about the players and you're desperate for them to do well, it's not an easy conversation ever. 'I'm just always honest with them, why they're coming out, why I pick someone else, and they just don't have to agree at all, but hopefully they respect a bit of honesty. 'And I think their reaction when they came on the pitch tonight says everything, they were great.'
