KING OF THE HILLS

Clement's summit special as bold Gers almost leave Portuguese with mountain to climb

THEY call Lisbon the City of Seven Hills - but Rangers must surely believe they are on the brink of summit special if they can once more hit the heights they managed last night.

It's only sheer rotten luck that Benfica are not heading to Ibrox next week for the second leg with a mountain to climb after a display from Philippe Clement's side that was as daring as it was brave.

Twice Gers led the Portuguese giants as they threatened to leave a team still reeling from Sunday's 5-0 Porto pasting in the shade at the Estadio da Luz.

In the end, they couldn't hold on to Tom Lawrence's opener or Dujon Sterling's first ever senior goal.

It was more than a little ironic that the Eagles were twice able to hit back thanks to Angel Di Maria's dead-ball abilities given he'd barely had a sniff of escaping the impressive Ridvan Yilmaz in open play.

But he was able to stroke home a penalty after tempting John Souttar into a penalty box hand-ball with a corner before his free-kick midway through the second half squirmed off Connor Goldson's head before flying past Jack Butland.

Goldson must be sick of the sight of Benfica's iconic home ground having also put through his own net when Rangers last trudged up the slopes of the Portuguese capital under Steven Gerrard back in 2020.

But Gers will firmly believe that with a pumped-up Ibrox behind them next Thursday they can find a way through to the last eight.

Mind you, some Ibrox fans have come to the conclusion that the Europa League is a distraction their Premiership pacesetters can currently do without.

You have to wonder if they've changed their tune now afters seeing their team produce yet another magnificent display in a tournament they are growing attached to.