RANGERS manager Pedro Caixinha says his side will take winning momentum into their Ladbrokes Premiership opener after rounding off their pre-season campaign with a 2-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday.
Caixinha again played a settled side in front of 20,739 fans at Hillsborough, almost 8000 of them supporting Rangers, although James Tavernier was missing with a foot injury. Lee Hodson slotted in at right-back.
The Ibrox side had drawn with Marseille the previous weekend and won 2-1 in a training-ground game against Watford in midweek, and Caixinha was in confident mood as he looked ahead to his side’s first league game against Motherwell at Fir Park next Sunday.
Rangers know they will be judged on competitive action following their shock Europa League defeat by Progres Niederkorn of Luxembourg, but Caixinha was a happy man as he analysed his final preparations.
Caixinha said: “The last three games, Marseille, Watford and Sheffield Wednesday, were fantastic for us to get our cohesion, to get our ideas, to add everything in and get our confidence and our belief.
“The boys have been making a fantastic effort in order to keep focused and look forward, and today they had their bonus.
“We knew since the very beginning we are not the worst team in the world and we are not the best one, but we need to keep this focus and this approach to the game, especially since the very beginning, the principle of the 20 minutes.
“Sometimes we have to sacrifice and suffer, and we can do that, and I am very happy with the boys.
“We need to take this momentum into the Motherwell game – and that’s the one which really matters.”
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