Brondby goalkeeper Thomas Mikkelsen was infuriated by Leon Balogun’s goal in Thursday’s 2-0 UEFA Europa League defeat to Rangers, telling the club’s official website that they were aware of Rangers’ set-piece threat.
With the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe on the pitch, you would have got long odds on Balogun opening the scoring during a much-needed group-stage victory in front of an expectant Ibrox crowd.
The 33-year-old defender had never scored for the Glasgow giants before, after all.
In fact, his last goal came nearly three years ago, during Brighton and Hove Albion’s 3-1 Premier League victory over rivals Crystal Palace.
But when you’ve got someone capable of dropping a set-piece on a sixpence like James Tavernier, opportunities will always be forthcoming for a towering, 6ft 3ins centre-back who is as good in the air as Balogun.
Therefore, his bullet header, with just 18 minutes on the clock, perhaps shouldn’t be so much of a surprise.
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“It annoys me that they scored from a set piece at the start of the match because we knew they were incredibly dangerous in that aspect of the game,” said Mikkelsen, who was nonetheless pleased to tick a European night under the Ibrox lights off his personal bucket list.
“So it was annoying to go behind that way.
“It was a cool stadium and a cool backdrop to play in, and our fans did great again, so huge praise to them. It was an insane backdrop to be a part of.”
Roofe netted Rangers’ second and final goal of the game following a VAR review, securing a result which keeps Steven Gerrard’s side within touching distance of Sparta Prague in Group A.
Do the double over Brondby in Denmark on November 4 and Rangers could move up to second place, especially with Sparta taking on the group’s clear favourites – a dangerous and somewhat underrated Lyon side – at the Stade OL.
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