Russell Martin believes Rangers will be better in the return game against Panathinaikos next week following the 2-0 win at Ibrox.
The Light Blues struggled in the first leg of the Champions League second round qualifier against the Greek outfit until 19-year-old winger Findlay Curtis opened the scoring in the 52nd minute with a terrific finish from outside the box, his first goal for the Govan club.
Just six minutes later Panathinaikos right-back Giorgos Vagiannidis picked up a second yellow card from Lithuanian referee Donatas Rumsas for a foul on Curtis before Gers debutant Djeidi Gassama, the 21-year-old winger signed from Sheffield Wednesday, added a second minutes after coming off the bench to give a further advantage ahead of the return game in Athens.
After a victory in his first competitive game as Gers boss, Martin said: “I’m very happy that we won. And I think we’ll be much better for it.
“We had a few tough moments early in the first half – after a good start actually – then a few sticky moments because we were playing against a really good team, good players, good coach. Been together a while, longer than us, for sure.
“So I was really proud and really pleased with the players, the way they got through it, and also with the crowd, the way they stuck with a team through a few difficult moments was incredible. So I think as a group, we’ll be much better for tonight.
“I think Findlay probably embodied us really. First half, he was a bit tense. He was receiving too many balls in positions we don’t want him to.
“But he’s so willing, he has such brilliant character and mentality and it reflected the rest of the group as well.
“They got through that. And at half-time it was just about some real simple information and just to get the guys to relax and to do the work that we’ve done and to take a bit more care with the ball.
“So when we did that, I thought they were great. We needed Jack (Butland) a couple of times, big moments in the first half, he made a couple of brilliant saves.
“So, yeah, it’s half-time. We have to respect that we’re playing against a really good team and they’re going to be ready next week and we have to be even better than we were tonight and we will be. It’s so early on, and we will improve from tonight.”
