Fashion Sakala inspires Rangers in Hamburg friendly win that will have Danilo licking his lips - 5 talking points

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Rangers extended the hand of friendship to Germans pals Hamburg then swept them aside with minimum fuss as they stepped up their pre-season preparations with a 2-1 win.First half goals from Fashion Sakala and a James Tavernier penalty made the difference on an experimental afternoon for Michael Beale against the Bundesliga 2 side who hit back with a stunning free kick from sub Jean-Luc Dompe in injury time.Cyriel Dessers got his first action in Light Blue off the bench but it was the sight of Tom Lawrence joining the action with 13 minutes remaining that brought the loudest cheer of the afternoon after 11 months of injury hell.Rangers dominated the 90 minutes and had their frontmen had their shooting boots on could have been out of sight by half time.

Rabbi Matondo forced a save from Heuer Fernandes after just four minutes having been slipped in by Tavernier on the angle.Hagi then shot wide after a flowing move started by a superb first time pass from Kieran Dowell which set Yilmaz free on the left.

The full-back’s cross made its way to the back post but Hagi dragged his shot wide.It was all Rangers and they should have been ahead after nine minutes but Matondo’s first touch was woeful as he tried to bring down Abdallah Sima’s cross field pass with just the keeper to beat.Dowell was next to try his luck after 21 minutes but Heuer Fernandes was equal to his well struck 15 yard half volley while Hagi couldn’t keep the rebound down.

And it was the same outcome on the half hour when Fashion Sakala cut in off the left and forced a good save from the Portuguese only for Sima to fire the rebound wildly over.Hamburg’s best opportunities of the opening half came from set pieces with Immanuel Pherai twice coming close.