Philippe Clement’s Rangers got their pre-season preparations underway on Wednesday.
And while it certainly wasn’t a game that will live too long in the memory – 0-0 stalemates rarely do – games at this stage of the summer are usually more about getting minutes in the legs.
Oscar Cortes, after five months out with injury, made his long-awaited return to the pitch after Rangers sealed a deal to bring the Colombian back on a potential £4 million deal from RC Lens.
There was a start for Connor Barron too, while Clinton Nsiala and Jefte Vital also made their first appearances in the Gers shirt.
Youngsters Cole McKinnon and Findlay Curtis caught the eye too, while Alex Lowry kick-started his attempts to force a way into Clement’s plans after a difficult loan spell at Hearts.
The elegant Lowry came closest to breaking the deadlock with a shot which hit the post in the second-half.
For Standard Liege coach Ivan Leko, meanwhile, keeping Rangers at arms length was quite the achievement.
Speaking to Belgian publication Walfoot at full-time, Leko was delighted to see his side come out level against a team he feels, on a purely talent-based perspective, are simply operating at a ‘different level’.
Rangers draw with Standard Liege in pre-season clash
“It was a good opponent. A good test for us,” Leko says, happy to know that all his work on the training pitch had been worth it. “To see where we are, what we can do…
“I saw a Standard that wanted to defend properly, that had a very good organisation. We had worked a lot on that the last two days and it was well done.
“The players gave their all against a team that has more quality than us. That is at a different level to us. They had the ball, but didn’t have any chances.
“The boys did well, but we can see that we have some physical shortcomings.”
Standard arguably created the greater openings too, Rangers Player of the Year Jack Butland required to keep out former Fulham prospect Marlon Fossey at the end of the first 45.
“In the second half, the players who usually play a little less performed well,” adds Leko. “It wasn’t ‘wow’ but (our challenge was) being able to fight against a team with more quality than us and compete with them.”
No Tavernier or Cantwell but Cyriel Dessers starts
Interestingly, there was no place in Clement’s side for the exit-linked duo James Tavernier or Todd Cantwell in Wednesday’s behind-closed-doors clash. Zak Lovelace and Danilo were also not involved, yet to recover fully from long-term injury absences.
Summer signing Liam Kelly was missing too, yet to report to club duty after he was part of Scotland’s Euro 2024 squad.
Clement did include Cyriel Dessers in his starting XI, however, amid speculation suggesting that season’s 22-goal striker could be on the way out after just one rather hit-and-miss campaign at Ibrox.
Dessers has been linked with Greek outfit PAOK Salonika and a return to Serie A with Cagliari. Neither side appear to be prioritising a deal for the ex-Feyenoord hitman, however.
PAOK are hoping to bring in the experienced Martin Braithwaite from Espanyol, while Cagliari are expected to tie up an £11 million deal for Atalanta youngster Roberto Piccolo.
