As Abdallah Sima helped fire Rangers to the League Cup semi-finals at the expense of Livingston it won’t be the last time the club call on the attacker in the next few weeks.
As the threadbare Rangers squad was dealt yet another blow and Michael Beale awaits an update on Kemar Roofe’s latest injury problem, options are limited at the top end of the park.
Brazilian striker Danilo is out until at least October and with the jury out on both Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers in front of goal, Rangers have few players who can be relied upon to find the back of the net.
Todd Cantwell, Rabbi Matondo and Tom Lawrence also pose a goal threat from other areas of the park and will not be available until after the October international break.
The situation is heaping the pressure on Michael Beale with the Rangers boss blaming the club’s disjointed attack on a lack of understanding and a loss of options.
But Abdallah Sima looks to be a bright spark amid the run of injuries and Rangers will need to keep the Senegalese attacker fit and firing in order to hobble to mid-October.
Rangers need Abdallah Sima to maintain scoring form
Signed on loan from Brighton in the summer, the Premier League side rarely get their transfer business wrong and there’s a reason they forked out £7m to bring him from Slavia Prague in 2021.
Finding the net in controversial circumstances v Livingston, the attacker curled the ball neatly into the far corner after initially appearing to foul Lions defender Jamie Brandon.
The goal would stand and the Abdallah Sima strike would kickstart a 4-0 hammering for Rangers who are now preparing for a Hampden semi-final v Hearts in November.
By that time, Rangers should have more of their attacking options back on the park but as the club challenges on four fronts, the form of Abdallah Sima could be central to keeping any title hopes alive.
The goal was Abdallah Sima’s fourth in a Rangers shirt, and follows on from him stabbing the ball home for the only goal in the recent Europa League win over Real Betis.
