RANGERS’ £4m man Oscar Cortes hasn’t been seen for almost two months.
But the Colombian was the headline name in Rangers‘ star-studded B team line-up for a friendly against Crystal Palace.
Bailey Rice and Oscar Cortes were among the big names who played an hour for the B-team[/caption]
Clinton Nsiala joined Cortes at Auchenhowie to face the Premier League side[/caption]
The COlombian suffered a bad injury against Kilmarnock last February[/caption]
He was crocked again at the start of August[/caption]
Cortes is still officially on loan from Ligue 1 club Lens – but Gers have an agreement to buy him this summer at a fee of around £4million.
However he’s had TWO loan spelsl at Ibrox ravaged by injury.
First, last season, the January arrival managed six appearances before a ‘complicated’ hamstring injury ended his season.
Philippe Clement brought him back on another loan with an obligation to buy this season – but he’s only managed two more this season than he did last term.
And he’s STILL to complete 90 minutes for the Light Blues.
He didn’t manage 90 against the visitors from south London at the training centre this afternoon either – but was on the winning side.
But the Gers young guns only did the business AFTER Cortes and three other big-names with first team experience were substituted.
The youngsters accompanied by no less than five top-team players at Auchenhowie.
As well as Cortes, Ross McCausland was on the opposite flank to the Colombian while Clinton Nsiala and Rafa Fernandes were the central defensive partnership.
Bailey Rice, who is on the fringes of the first-team, played midfield alongside Paul Nsio.
Finlay Curtis – handed a half-hour cameo at Old Trafford by Clement in January – was captain.
And the youngsters found the winner through sub Calum Adamson 12 minutes after he was pitched into the game.
He was among the widespread changes which saw Rice, Cortes, McCausland, Nsiala and Connor Campbell replaced.
Fellow sub Alex Smith raced into the Palace penalty area and played a cross to Adamson for a powerful finish.
👊 We lead at Rangers Training Centre!
A lovely run from Alex Smith to advance into the Crystal Palace box and play a great cross to Calum Adamson. His powerful strike fires beyond Rylee Mitchell.
Rangers 1 – 0 Crystal Palace pic.twitter.com/MIWLVKx6VC
— Rangers B & Academy (@RFC_Youth) March 10, 2025
Gers had enjoyed a strong spell shortly before the break with Rice going close, but Cortes also tested Rylee Mitchell after the interval.
The selection may provide a clue as to Barry Ferguson‘s line-up for Thursday’s massive match with Fenerbahce.
Cortes was left out of the squad in the first place as he recovered form injury – and was overlooked when three changes were made in January.
New signing Fernandes was also snubbed though Clinton Nsiala was added then.
Rafael Fernandes joined Gers in January but wasn’t picked for the Europa League squad update[/caption]
Neither was Cortes but Rangers have an obligation to buy the Lens winger this summer[/caption]
However he has since been bombed out of the first-team pitcure under Ferguson after a nightmare start under the interim manager and a first-half hook against Kilmarnock last month.
McCausland has played six times in Europe this season – and scored in the first game of the league phase against Malmo and Thursday’s game was in view said coach Steven Smith.
He told Rangers TV: “The plan was clear and the manager wanted certain players to play 60 minutes obviously with an eye on Thursday night.
“The under-18 programme is there as well so it helped us in terms of balancing minutes for the younger players.”
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