Giroud hits hot streak: Winners & losers from Chelsea & Rangers’ UEL clashes

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Rangers and Villarreal met at a packed Ibrox on Thursday night looking to battle it out for top spot in Europa League Group G, while already-qualified Chelsea hosted PAOK of Greece at Stamford Bridge.

The Glasgow clash ebbed and flowed in the first half, with both sides having periods of dominance, despite playing out a goalless first half which ended with the sending off of Daniel Candeias.

Villarreal were well in control of the second half but a combination of Allan McGregor in goal and some resolute Rangers defending meant the home side earned a precious 0-0 draw. Rangers even had a goal of their own disallowed that nearly blew the roof off Ibrox, creating a few chances as the game became stretched late on.

Meanwhile, in London, things didn’t get off to the best start for a defensive PAOK side as they were reduced to 10 men when Yevhen Khacheridi was sent off after just seven minutes.

This allowed Maurizio Sarri’s side to take control of the game and, after patiently working away at a resolute PAOK back line, Chelsea ran out 4-0 winners.

Here are major winners and losers from Rangers and Chelsea’s Europa League games.

 

1. Winner – Oliver Giroud 

Olivier Giroud has lost his place in the Chelsea side recently as the French international has struggled to find the back of the net.

The 2018 World Cup winner has well and truly rediscovered his golden touch recently though, bagging another two goals on Thursday night in some style – his second goal was especially impressive as he volleyed home a ball from over his shoulder.

Alvaro Morata came off the bench to score too, which may hamper Giroud’s return to the starting XI but, regardless, he did himself absolutely no harm tonight.

2. Loser – Yevhen Khacheridi

PAOK have really struggled in the Europa League this season, but Thursday’s trip to Stamford Bridge represented a great opportunity for them to show why they’re top of the Greek Super League after 11 games.

(Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images)

With that in mind, one of the main things to do in the first 10 minutes is make sure you keep 11 men on the pitch. Yevhen Khacheridi made sure that wasn’t possible after seven minutes when he brought Olivier Giroud down as the Frenchman stormed toward goal.

Khacheridi was rightly sent off for being the last man and was unlucky to be the fall guy for this decision, but from that point on Chelsea absolutely overwhelmed PAOK and breezed their way to ___ win. In hindsight, Khacheridi may have been better off giving his goalkeeper a chance to stop Giroud, keeping 11 men on the pitch.

3. Winner – Allan McGregor

The first half at Ibrox was an end-to-end affair, but Villarreal definitely crafted the better of the chances and could have been a couple of goals ahead by halftime.

(Photo credit should read ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Steven Gerrard must have wanted to kiss Allan McGregor during the halftime interval after the veteran stopper made two unbelievable one-on-one saves from Villarreal’s Cedric Bakambu, keeping the score at 0-0.

With Rangers down to 10 men for the second half, McGregor was worked hard in the final 45 minutes as well. The 36-year-old was equal to everything though and was the hero as Rangers gained a gritty point that keeps their Europa League hopes well within the balance.

4. Loser – Cedric Bakambu

By virtue of McGregor being a winner, Cedric Bakambu has to go down as a loser tonight.

(Photo credit should read JOSE JORDAN/AFP/Getty Images)

The Congolese striker missed a number of good chances on top of the ones McGregor kept out and despite his movement causing problems for the Rangers defence, he totally lacked composure when it came to the crunch.

This was one of the main deciding factors in Villarreal only taking a point from Glasgow, instead of the three that would have seen them take a stranglehold of Group G.

5. Winner – Ruben Loftus-Cheek

The Europa League really is Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s competition- the majority of the midfielder’s minutes this season have come in this competition and yet again Loftus-Cheek delivered.

(Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Following the  Khacheridi red card, PAOK allowed the England international bags of space. Loftus-Cheek took advantage of the concession, curling an effort toward the far post on 20 minutes. It looked for all the world like it would be 1-0, but the cat-like figure of Alexandros Paschalakis somehow managed to keep it out.

Loftus-Cheek followed this up with a mazing run inside the box, leaving the PAOK defence looking completely stupid, before firing a shot into the side-netting.

The 22-year-old was unlucky not to score in the second half too, and would have been well aware that Gareth Southgate was looking on from the Stamford Bridge stands, and the England manager will have been pleased with what he saw, with Callum Hudson-Odoi putting in a lively performance as well.

6. Loser – Matej Jug

Matej Jug had his work cut out at Ibrox on Thursday, trying to keep control of a game that had plenty of blood and thunder, as well as its fair share of crunching tackles.

(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The biggest moment of the game came right on half-time, when Alfredo Morelos, Daniel Candeias and James Tavernier all descended upon Santiago Caseres, bringing the Argentinian down in the process.

Caseres undoubtedly made a meal of the challenge, causing Matej Jug to come charging over with absolutely no idea who he should show a yellow card to.

After some help from his linesman, he eventually showed a second yellow to Candeias, harshly sending him off for a challenge that really didn’t have a great deal in it. The indecisiveness from Jug, as well as the sending off itself, had the Ibrox crowd white hot with rage, and rightly so as the Slovenian official got it wrong.

7. Callum Hudson-Odoi

As previously mentioned, Callum Hudson-Odoi was very lively tonight, putting in a really mature performance on the wing for Chelsea.

The 18-year-0ld’s ability to run a defender onto the backfoot before cutting inside in the blink of an eye is astonishing and PAOK couldn’t settle when he had the ball.

Hudson-Odoi got his reward on the hour mark, cutting inside onto his right foot and tucking a smart finish inside the near post, putting Chelsea 3-0 up with his first ever senior goal.

It is a big ‘if’, but if Maurizio Sarri can give Hudson-Odoi some more playing time this season, we have just have another Jadon Sancho on hour hands here.

The post Giroud hits hot streak: Winners & losers from Chelsea & Rangers’ UEL clashes appeared first on Squawka News.



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