Source: Team_Talk
Double injury blow for Gers in draw
Rangers suffered a double injury scare as their friendly against Sydney degenerated into a 0-0 semi-farce on a waterlogged pitch in Australia.[LNB] With puddles across large areas of a surface that had just hosted a clash between Blackburn and AEK Athens, simple passes failed to find their destination as the ball held up badly.[LNB]Lafferty went off with a calf problem after 79 minutes, with McCulloch limping down the tunnel moments later.[LNB]Rangers also substituted Kenny Miller, who has been suffering from shin splints over the past three weeks, on the hour mark.[LNB]Walter Smith had Steven Whittaker back from injury, allowing him to rest Madjid Bougherra, while Neil Alexander replaced Allan McGregor in the only two changes to the team that beat Blackburn in their first match of the Sydney Festival of Football.[LNB]But Rangers struggled to find a rhythm in a first half of few chances on a deteriorating pitch.[LNB]Lafferty lit up the contest with a brilliant run, but he passed up the chance to shoot after beating his fourth man and his pass to Steven Naismith was overhit.[LNB]Maurice Edu had a great chance midway through the second half when Steven Davis found him unmarked from a free-kick, but Sydney goalkeeper Liam Reddy brilliantly pushed away the American's downward header.[LNB]Alexander also pulled off a good save when he clawed away Ibrahima Thiam-Iyane's curling effort from just inside the box.[LNB]As conditions became even more difficult, Rangers suffered the two injuries that will stretch Smith's small squad yet further.
