With time ticking down in Rangers' UEFA Europa League campaign, United States international midfielder Maurice Edu delivered.
In second-half stoppage time, Edu ran onto a cross from the right, slid and tapped home the goal that sent Rangers past Sporting Lisbon and into the Europa League final 16. Sporting had gone ahead 2-1 (3-2 on aggregate) just minutes earlier with an 83rd-minute tally, but Edu's goal leveled the score and gave Rangers the edge on away goals.
Rangers will face PSV Eindhoven in the next knockout stage.
Video of the match highlights and Edu's clutch goal is after the jump:
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What do you think about Edu's goal? Like Rangers' Atletico Madrid tribute jerseys?
Share your thoughts below.
Everything is cut and dried.
Edu is the best US midfielder who ever lived, Clark is the worst midfielder who ever lived. Torres is the best ball handler who ever lived. Findley is the worst forward who ever lived.
These things will never change no matter how long these payers play, no matter what they do or where they go. Oh and Bob Bradley will never understand tactics no matter how long he lives.
I love fans who act like everything is just so cut and dry.
Edu is being considered for center back because of his versatility, our lack of quality center back options, and because there are quality options in the midfield.
Moreover, Bradley scores goals like these all the time.
Way to go, Mo! To be fair, if he missed, three of his teammates would have been there to finish…but still clutch. Terrible breakdown for Sporting Libson on that play.
As someone who has only recently become a fan of soccer, it makes me very happy when teams are punished for appealing for an offside call rather than actually playing defense. Glad the ref was on top of things.
The way I see it, all those retards in green thought that because the guys they were marking would have been offside on the first pass, that (by some skewed form of logic) would make them offside for the second pass.
Granted, in some leagues, particularly the Bundesliga (can’t speak for the Portuguese league), a lot of refs would have blown the whistle to stop the passive offsides.
But they should certainly know better than to hope for a whistle on a play like that. I think one guy just had a brain fart and the others followed like lemmings.
No. It’s not an Old Firm Derby
Not much of a fan of either but Rangers has had US nats for a while, so in good sport depite you guys beating Rangers twice in SPL play this season, here’s to you guys losing a game if 1 remains and hopefully tying at least 2 times, although 3 would be great, and Rangers winning their 2 games on hand. So they can go ahead 2 or 4 points aside from the remaining game between them if indeed there still is one left? I’m hoping Rangers win the SPL have CL play in case Edu doesn’t leave to an EPL or Bundesliga team like Everton, Fulham, or who knows Spurs? lol or someone like Leverkusen or Shalke, hey they might be willing to try Mo now that Jones might be on his way?
Why I have nothing against Protestants! Some of my best friends are Protestants…inlcuding my wife and children, But even they root for Celtic!
Yes heard the same thing from several Rangers fans today. NOthing like a goal to change people’s opinions.
And that is the problem with Sporting (Dad family team), immense amounts of talent,but they suffer from collective brain farts alllll the time.
To be fair, had the sporting player not slid in it would have been offside.
No joke! Stealing KC’s super original name! Shame, Lisbon, shame.
I think it’s their first season wearing those kits so I wasn’t sure if he was joking
I don’t know the specifics but I know Rangers fans say he has been quite bad recently.
I assume you suffer from severe mental disabilities so I won’t bother arguing.
Dominic Cervi.
But hopefully he moves elsewhere else so I don’t have to root for $#@&ing Celtic!
It’s the passive offside rule where players can be offside as long as they are not actively involved in the play. Once the Ranger player dribbled past their line, then everyone was brought onside again.
Ahaha, the comment form erased my sarcasm tag! Nevermind then.
Use tags
either you’re a troll, or you really can’t judge talent. Bradley, Donovan and Dempsey are all midfielders and rated higher than Edu.
Did Edu really screw up in the old firm derby last weekend? Everything I’ve read on Rangers website has been saying how Edu should have silenced the critics from the Celtic match with this performance. Can anyone elaborate?
+1
I know it’s a bit drastic, but if I were the Sporting coach I’d sack every one of those guys in green putting their hand up claiming offside.
Collective brain fart.
But yes, very happy that Edu gets the goal.
Not one of his best as far as technical merit, but probably his most important.
what do you ahve against protestants?
clearly a joke dude.
that being said, they really need to make a sarcasm font for the internet, especially for this site
r u trolling? when they were offside the ball wasnt played to them
They were all totally onside.
Donovan is a midfielder. Micheal Bradley is beast as well
I cant believe that the other team copied KCs name…
Lol, nice goal, but wasn’t he offside there along with 2 of his teammates??? But hey, the ref didn’t call it! Nice goal Edu!
I always root for Edu to score nine goals and Ranger to give up ten…
was that for real? there are literally 3 players in the box that will score that goal without even trying. wow. (but thankfully it went to edu 🙂 )
well the way i feel in that case is i want the whole team to do terrible expect for the American, that way he looks even better
True. I don’t root for Ranger, despite EDU/BEASLEY/REYNA. I should have said, “I hate having to be pleased that Ranger won a game.” Subtle difference…
I believe it was because they were running the offsides trap. What does that have to do with marking?
I thought that was their way of saying thank you?
lol
Before this devolves into the inevitably irrational USMNT center mid debate, I just want to take a moment to congratulate Edu on a big-time, super clutch goal for his club. Great job.
It’s great to see American players making big plays in big matches.
The Nat team stuff, particularly since several center mids are prone to injury, will sort itself out at a later date.
But nice job Mo Edu! Keep it up!
Word.
I sort of agree, if I truly like a team and my teams rival has an American on it, I truly could care less if he does well. Just how it is.
Does this mean Edu won’t have his car blown up this week?
agreed, but I’ll take it!
They had four guys open back post.
Horrible marking.
Yet another big goal by Edu and yet another reason to, apparently, move him to CB…???
No question, the best midfielder in the American pool not named Jones or Holden.
Anyone else disputing so has rose colored blinders on and may be stuck in 2009 or a previous year.
Yeah but he makes me sad inside, whereas Edu makes me feel warm and fuzzy.
It’s their away kit
Rossi scored, too, to help Villarreal advance 🙂
Cap him.
I never root for rival teams, even if there is an American on them. There is a difference between wanting a Yank Abroad to do well and cheering for his team.
I was wondering why EDU was photoshopped onto a Athletico Madrid kit.
I just want a Yank on Celtic so I don’t have to root for $#@&ing Ranger!
Edu!!!!!!!!!!!