Rangers star Leon Balogun has received official recognition from the SPFL following his memorable display against Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday.
With James Tavernier ruled out of the match well in advance following the Covid outbreak at Ibrox and Nathan Patterson forced to pull out late on after being identified as a close contact, centre-back Balogun was deployed as a makeshift right-back in the first Old Firm of the season.
It’s a role he was called upon to perform on several occasions last season, too, but after his shaky start to the 2021/22 campaign many feared it would be a real problem area for the Gers.
However, while the hosts were somewhat limited in terms of their attacking threat from the right, Balogun delivered a memorable defensive performance.
The Nigeria international made a host of well-timed challenges, helped to defend crosses and set-pieces and generally kept Celtic’s wide men quiet.
He was announced as the Man of the Match in the closing stages of the game and on Tuesday, he was named at right-back in the SPFL Team of the Week.
Balogun was one of five Premiership players to make the XI, with Hearts’ Craig Gordon, Hibs’ Josh Doig, Motherwell’s Tony Watt and Harry Clarke of Ross County the others.
Rangers aren’t in action again until a trip to St Johnstone on 11 September but 33-year-old Balogun won’t be resting in the interim.
That’s as he has international duty to attend to with Nigeria, and is likely to start a World Cup Qualifier against Liberia in Lagos on Friday.
One Rangers star definitely won’t be in international action over the next week, though, as he was forced to pull out of his national team’s squad.
