Summary

  • Arfield slashes Rangers ahead after sharp move; Firmino levels with header shortly afterwards

  • Firmino & Darwin give Liverpool cushion, substitute Salah adds stunning six-minute hat trick & Elliott adds seventh

  • Goldson & Jack both off injured for Rangers

  • Liverpool will qualify if they avoid defeat in Amsterdam next time out; Rangers have lost opening four games and are out

  1. Rangers advanced, Liverpool too narrow?published at 21:01 British Summer Time 12 October 2022

    HT: Rangers 1-1 Liverpool

    Here's the average positions from the first half. Rangers (the black dots) are getting Ryan Kent really high up the pitch on the left.

    He's caused a few problems running at Joe Gomez. Much better attacking intent from the hosts.

    As for Liverpool, they're packed into the middle of the pitch. Might we see Mo Salah and Andy Robertson come on to give them some width?

    A graphic showing the average positions of the Rangers and Liverpool players in the first halfImage source, Opta
  2. Postpublished at 20:59 British Summer Time 12 October 2022

    HT: Rangers 1-1 Liverpool

    For those of you that enjoy xG and that sort of thing, Rangers xG value of 0.67 is greater than Liverpool's, which sits at 0.27.

    Not sure how Roberto Firmino's header is not fully expected to go in but Rangers have had the slightly better chances overall.

  3. 'Ferocious back and forth for 45 minutes'published at 20:56 British Summer Time 12 October 2022

    HT: Rangers 1-1 Liverpool

    Anyone managed to catch a breath yet?

    Rangers had barely made a sound in the Champions League prior to this. For the last 45 minutes, they've snarled and roared in an enthralling toe-to-toe contest with Liverpool.

    It's been absorbing stuff. Scott Arfield's opener nearly took the roof off the place, while a second was almost added a moment later at a raucous Ibrox. Instead, an easy header for Roberto Firmino levelled things just seven minutes later.

    It's been a ferocious back and forth ever since, with the Ibrox side forced into bringing on Leon King for a hobbling Connor Goldson.

    This can't keep up... can it?

    Scott Arfield opened the scoring for RangersImage source, SNS
    Roberto Firmino levelled for LiverpoolImage source, SNS
  4. 'It's a 50/50 game now'published at 20:51 British Summer Time 12 October 2022

    HT: Rangers 1-1 Liverpool

    Jonathan Woodgate
    Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

    That's been a really good first half.

    Rangers started quietly but then got into the game.

    They'll be disappointed that Liverpool came back in so quickly.

    It's a 50/50 game now, I think it could go either way.

  5. HALF-TIME Rangers 1-1 Liverpoolpublished at 45+3 mins

    All square at the break.

    Ibrox erupted when Scott Arfield fired in Rangers' first Champions League for almost 12 years.

    However, Roberto Firmino replied soon after, nodding in from a corner.

    It's been fast and furious and the Ibrox crowd are lapping it up.

  6. Postpublished at 45+1 mins

    Rangers 1-1 Liverpool

    We're into three minutes of first-half stoppage time as Darwin Nunez tries to get something going for Liverpool, but his pass for Harvey Elliott is overhit.

  7. King on for injured Goldsonpublished at 43 mins

    Rangers 1-1 Liverpool

    Bad news for Rangers as centre-half Connor Goldson pulls up and he can't go on.

    Teenager Leon King is his replacement.

    Connor Goldson injures his thighImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Connor Goldson is forced off with an injured thigh

  8. 'Konate has been magnificent'published at 20:44 British Summer Time 12 October 2022

    Rangers 1-1 Liverpool

    Jonathan Woodgate
    Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Ibrahima Konate is having a great game. He's such a solid defender.

    He's been magnificent in this half.

  9. Postpublished at 20:44 British Summer Time 12 October 2022

    Rangers 1-1 Liverpool

    Neil McCann
    Former Rangers winger on BBC Sportsound

    Sakala burns away from Tsimikas, and it's a brilliant little cut-back to Arfield.

    It's an easier chance than the one he scored.

  10. Postpublished at 42 mins

    Rangers 1-1 Liverpool

    Rangers come racing down the right again, this time through Fashion Sakala, who can shift a bit quicker than Antonio Colak.

    Scott Arfield gets a toe to the winger's low cross but Ibrahima Konate gets across to make a vital block.

  11. Postpublished at 40 mins

    Rangers 1-1 Liverpool

    Antonio Colak runs down the right channel and has Ryan Kent for company through the middle. The Rangers striker can't find him though, leading to loud groans from the stands.

    The home side needed the roles reversed there.

  12. Postpublished at 38 mins

    Rangers 1-1 Liverpool

    Joe Gomez is giving the ball away a lot. Scott Arfield looks like he's thinking of another surge forward but Fabio Carvalho nips into take the ball off his toes.

  13. Postpublished at 34 mins

    Rangers 1-1 Liverpool

    A good wee spell for Rangers as Liverpool clear a lofted pass from John Lundstram inside the penalty area and Borna Barisic fizzes in a cross from the left, which Antonio Colak can't get a firm header on.

  14. Postpublished at 20:33 British Summer Time 12 October 2022

    Rangers 1-1 Liverpool

    James Tavernier's passing accuracy is down at 62% so far. The Rangers captain was caught out by Roberto Firmino for the equaliser, too. He just didn't get tight enough.

    Giovanni van Bronckhorst was going tonto on the touchline at the latest misplaced pass.

  15. 'Can Rangers regain composure?'published at 20:29 British Summer Time 12 October 2022

    Rangers 1-1 Liverpool

    Scott Mullen
    BBC Scotland at Ibrox

    That's the difference, Liverpool made that look so easy. Kosta Tsimikas checked out of the corner initially, before offering up a perfect delivery. Maybe that was part of the plan.

    The visitors have a spring in their step now. A crucial 15 minutes or so coming up for Rangers to regain their composure.

  16. Postpublished at 20:27 British Summer Time 12 October 2022

    Rangers 1-1 Liverpool

    Steven Thompson
    Former Rangers striker on BBC Sportsound

    We've seen Rangers' vulnerabilities from set-pieces.

    Tavernier has to do more to either stop Firmino, or win the header himself. It's far too easy.

    Liverpool's Roberto Firmino scores their side's first goal of the game during the UEFA Champions League Group A match at Ibrox StadiumImage source, PA Media
  17. 'Firmino delivers'published at 20:26 British Summer Time 12 October 2022

    Rangers 1-1 Liverpool

    Jonathan Woodgate
    Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Brilliant header!

    Just when his team need him, Roberto Firmino delivers.

    There's absolutely no one marking him either.

  18. goal

    GOAL Rangers 1-1 Liverpoolpublished at 24 mins

    Roberto Firmino

    A second shot inside a few minutes from Fabio Carvalho earns Liverpool a corner and up pops Roberto Firmino with a simple near post header.

    Liverpool goal graphicImage source, BBC Sport
  19. Liverpool have 'lack of concentration'published at 20:24 British Summer Time 12 October 2022

    Rangers 1-0 Liverpool

    Jonathan Woodgate
    Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

    There's something wrong with Liverpool's intensity, they just can't move with the ball.

    There's a complete lack of concentration at the back.

    We've got a contest now.

  20. 'Big chance that'published at 20:23 British Summer Time 12 October 2022

    Rangers 1-0 Liverpool

    Steven Thompson
    Former Rangers striker on BBC Sportsound

    Big chance that. It's a terrible error from Gomez, Colak reads it, but tries to knick it and gets it all wrong.

    This Liverpool side are rocked.