STEVEN GERRARD handed Jermain Defoe and Steven Davis their Ibrox debuts as Rangers beat HJK Helsinki 3-2 this afternoon.
The Light Blues saw their return to action put on hold last week as the Scottish Cup clash with Cowdenbeath was postponed due to a frozen pitch at Central Park.
But Gerrard’s side warmed up for their Premiership trip to Kilmarnock on Wednesday night with a friendly victory against the Finnish champions.
Scott Arfield opened the scoring just before the half hour mark, while Nikola Katic and Daniel Candeias netted after the break as HJK twice drew level.
Defoe and Davis, who moved to Ibrox from Bournemouth and Southampton respectively, earlier this month both started for Rangers as Gerrard switched to a 4-4-2 formation.
And they got a comfortable 45-minute run-out under their belts as the Light Blue legions saw their most recent additions in action for the first time.
The Helsinki game was agreed as part of the deal that brought Alfredo Morelos to Glasgow last season and it was the Colombian that set up Arfield for the opening goal.
His pass split the visitors’ defence and Arfield burst into the box and finished well into the corner of Maksim Rudakov’s net.
The lead lasted just seconds, however. Helsinki threatened down the left and Kevin Kouassivi-Benissan finished well at the back post as he beat Wes Foderingham from inside the area.
Foderingham saved well from Eetu Vertainen before Ryan Kent was denied by Rudakov after Morelos was again involved in the build-up play.
The striker set up his new forward partner Defoe just before the break but there was no debut goal for the Englishman as he pulled his effort wide of the far post.
Gerrard changed his entire team at the interval and didn’t have to wait long for the second goal as Katic rose well in the area and headed home a Borna Barisic corner.
Once again, the lead was short lived, though. Lassi Lappalainen was the scorer this time around as he beat Robby McCrorie with a low strike.
Rangers quickly regained control of the game but chances were few and far between for Gerrard’s side. When one came, they took advantage.
Rudakov passed the ball straight to Candeias and the Portuguese finished from the edge of the area as his driven shot left the Helsinki keeper flat footed.
Rangers first half: Foderingham, Tavernier, Flanagan, Worrall, Halliday, Jack, Arfield, Davis, Kent, Morelos, Defoe
Rangers second half: Robby McCrorie, Houston, McAuley, Katic, Barisic, Ross McCrorie, Kelly (Palmer), Coulibaly, Candeias, Middleton, Lafferty
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