Rangers have embarrassed themselves in front of the world, celebrating a victory that never actually happened.
The Light Blues turned heads at the Hong Kong Soccer Sevens tournament, with Zebedee Lawson netting six goals in his three group-stage games.
Despite the format, the tournament presented a prestigious opportunity for the Rangers Under-19s to test themselves against the likes of West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Leeds United, among others.
While a 2-0 defeat against Brighton denied the Ibrox outfit a chance at the cup final, a 1-0 victory over Larne FC took them to the Shield final against West Ham.
How long will Danny Rohl be at Rangers?
Andrew Cavenagh has confirmed he will not be sacked ahead of the new season…
Lewis Stewart in rollercoaster Shield final
The Shield final on Sunday was a remarkable spectacle from start to finish.
West Ham raced into a two-goal lead, leaving Rangers with a mountain to climb, but Stewart responded in stunning fashion.
First, he pulled one back with a thunderous strike from the edge of the box, and then, with the clock ticking down and the Gers facing disappointment, he produced a last-second equaliser to drag his side level and force the game into sudden death.
What followed was a format befitting of the drama. Two rounds of sudden death – first a 4v4 lasting four minutes, then a 3v3 lasting three minutes – failed to separate the sides, sending the tie to a penalty shootout.
With three players each tasked with settling the final, everyone converted their first attempt, but when Stewart stepped up to take his second spot-kick, he could not find the net, meaning the Shield went to West Ham.
However, when Rangers Academy shared the latest news about the tournament on their X account, they claimed that the Under-19s had in fact won the Shield, beating West Ham on penalties.
They wrote: “Main Shield victory for our Under-19s at the Hong Kong Soccer Sevens this morning. We defeated West Ham on penalties after a brace from Lewis Stewart. Congratulations, lads!”
The post, which made no reference to the defeat and instead framed the afternoon as a victory, had fans scratching their heads on social media.
A tournament to remember for Rangers regardless
Despite the Shield final defeat, Rangers‘ youngsters gave an impressive account of themselves through the Hong Kong Soccer Sevens.
Lawson was the standout performer, scoring six goals, including a four-goal haul in a 5-1 win over BC Rangers, while Aiden McCallion netted the winner against Larne FC.
The Shield result aside, Danny Rohl will have seen plenty to encourage him about the talent emerging from Auchenhowie.
There is no doubt that the likes of Lawson, Stewart, and McCallion will train with Rohl’s first-team squad in pre-season before a decision is made regarding their immediate futures.
