Naderi Lifts 10-Man Rangers Past Jablonec in Conference League Play-off

Ryan Naderi gave Rangers a 1-0 win over Jablonec in the first leg of their Conference League play-off at Ibrox. BBC Sport reported that the striker's second-half goal separated the teams, leaving Rangers with a narrow advantage to defend in the Czech Republic next week.

Watch the highlights:

Rangers struggled to create clear openings during a quiet first half. Their best opportunity came when Vanja Dragojevic struck the post from the edge of the penalty area after a lay-off from Naderi. Jablonec goalkeeper Jan Hanus otherwise faced little danger before the interval, and the home side left the field to boos at half-time.

Naderi broke the deadlock early in the second half following a move involving Dan Neil and Daisuke Yokota. Neil sent the ball toward the back post, Yokota headed it back across the goal, and Naderi finished from close range into the roof of the net. The goal followed Naderi's contribution to Rangers' 5-1 League Cup victory over St Mirren at the weekend.

Djeidi Gassama had a chance to double the advantage minutes later but shot over from six yards while one-on-one with Hanus. BBC Sport's match report recorded 13 attempts for Rangers compared with five for Jablonec. Rangers goalkeeper Ivor Pandur nevertheless made four saves, while Hanus made two.

Rangers were reduced to 10 men when substitute Cammy Devlin received a straight red card less than 10 minutes after entering the match. The dismissal followed his high challenge on Jriri Slama. Jablonec later appealed for a penalty after Olwethu Makhanya challenged Richard Sedlacek, but an offside flag meant no further review was required, according to the BBC report.

Jablonec could not turn their numerical advantage into an equaliser during the closing stages, allowing Rangers to preserve the clean sheet. Head coach Derek McInnes said afterward that Rangers had lacked impetus and pressure in the first half but improved their tempo and connections after the break. The second leg is scheduled for Thursday, 27 August in Jablonec, with a place in the Conference League proper at stake.