World media reacts to Rangers 'stranglehold' on Ange Ball as cowering Tottenham escape with 'tails between their legs'
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has tormented Rangers on more than one occasion during his time as Celtic boss.
But it was role reversal in the Europa League clash at Ibrox on Thursday night as Dejan Kulusevski rescued a point for the under-fire boss after cancelling out Hamza Igamane's thumping strike. The visitors were left to thank former Hoops goalkeeper Fraser Forster that the damage wasn't worse on the night as the mega money Premier League side struggled to get to grips with Philippe Clement's men.
The performance only ramps up the pressure on Postecoglou as he returns to north London with Spurs winless streak now stretching to five games. In contrast, another positive showing is the perfect preparation for the Light Blues as they prepare to face Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup final on Sunday. The Battle of Britain clash grabbed headlines across the globe, but how was the game viewed? Record Sport takes a look.
Bild (Germany)
"Rangers played an excellent game and will certainly be a little annoyed at the end that they did not take home three points. The Spurs, on the other hand, were disappointed again and can thank Fraser Forster for at least taking home a point.
"Philippe Clement set up his team perfectly and, spurred on by the loud crowd, the Scots threw everything into it. After the perfect start to the second half, the Rangers kept the pressure on but were unable to add to their lead.
"The Spurs only became more active after Postecoglou's triple substitution and were then rewarded for a courageous 15 minutes. Then the Rangers pressed again and Dessers narrowly missed the lead. With eleven points, both teams still have the best chance of progressing."
Voetbol Zone (Belgium)
"Where Tottenham had most of the ball possession in the first half, Rangers had the bigger chances. Cerny in particular was threatening on a number of occasions, but thanks mainly to Tottenham goalkeeper Fraser Forster, the score was still 0-0 at half-time.
"Shortly after the break, Rangers finally scored. A beautiful cross from the back by James Tavernier came to the feet of Hamza Igamane, and he scored in one go: 1-0.
"Tottenham then went in search of an equaliser. They had chances to do so through Brennan Johnson (over) and Pedro Porro (save Jack Butland), but initially no goals were scored.
"Fifteen minutes before the end, the 1-1 finally fell. A foul seemed to be committed on Dominic Solanke, but the referee gave advantage and Dejan Kulusevski took advantage of that, by sliding the ball in. In the final phase, substitute Dessers came close to making it 2-1. A few minutes later, the Belgian seemed to score, but it was called offside. Both teams had to settle for a point."
VI (Netherlands)
"Rangers put Spurs in a stranglehold. Hamza Igamane opened the score on a pass from James Tavernier. Fifteen minutes before the end, Dejan Kulusevski equalised, but the now substituted Dessers brought the Scottish fans into ecstasy. The attacker scored, but was in a deep offside position."
The New York Times (United States)
"It was chaos. It was fun. It wasn’t always high quality, but then not all entertainment is. Honours even at Ibrox. Storylines and subplots aside, that was a brilliant game of football to watch. Rangers went toe-to-toe with a side who, despite their injuries, have so much more quality and international experience in their ranks. And the Scottish side did more than enough to win it. Tottenham, meanwhile, had Dejan Kulusevski and Fraser Forster to thank for not going back to north London with their tails between their legs."
L'Equipe (France)
"Tottenham are known in England for their inconsistency this season, and this state of affairs is also evident on the European stage. Having won their first three matches in C3, Spurs have since gone as many games without success. On Thursday evening, they could only manage a 1-1 draw at Rangers.
"They can at least claim to have kept up appearances, however, as they went behind to a goal from Moroccan striker Hamza Igamane, who has scored four goals in four matches so far in the competition, but Dejan Kulusevski equalised with a low shot from the edge of the area (75th). The result at Ibrox Park also left the English (9th) and Scots (8th) in the standings."
Marca (Spain)
"In an intense match at Ibrox Stadium, both teams ended the match 1-1, leaving the fight to advance to the next phase open. The encounter represented a key opportunity for both clubs.
"Third in the Scottish Premiership, Rangers were tasked with defending their eighth-place finish in the table, which would ensure them a direct passage to the next round. In the match, both teams showed their strengths and weaknesses.
"Although Rangers took the lead in the first half, Tottenham managed to equalise in the second half with a goal that stood out for its precision. However, neither team managed to break the tie, leaving the outcome of their qualifications in the hands of other results and upcoming matches."