Goals from teenager Findlay Curtis and debutant Djeidi Gassama have put Rangers in a commanding position ahead of their second round, second leg UEFA Champions League tie in Athens next week.
It was the proverbial game of two halves with Rangers under the cosh for much of the opening period in an opening first 45 minutes that Panathinaikos will rue.
The visitors were made to their profligacy when the Ibrox side took command after the break with Curtis the catalyst for the turnaround.
The 19-year-old latched onto a ball before driving forward and unleashing an effort into the bottom corner, albeit with the help of a slight deflection.
Panathinaikos’ task got all the tougher when Giorgos Vagiannidis was dismissed for a second booking as he scythed Curtis down.
Gassama, barely on the pitch after he was introduced off the bench, cut in from the left to steer a powerful shot home from 20 yards. It almost took the roof off of Ibrox, although there will an acknowledgement that the tie remains finely poised.
Martin will not be blind to the fact that Rangers rode their luck in stages of this game.
He will be encouraged, though, by the resilience showed by his side particularly across that first-half when they were under exceptional pressure.
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