Unlikely Rangers trio spotted at Killie Euro clash

RUGBY PARK was the place to be for European football in Scotland this week.

And so it proved with a Europa League cracker served up by Kilmarnock and Cercle Brugge in front of a bumper crowd.

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The TV cameras were there too for an end-to-end first leg tie- and so were some big names from Scottish football.

And not just on the BBC Scotland punditry team of Scotland hero James McFadden and Killie heroes Dieter van Tornhout and Cammy Bell.

Scotland boss Steve Clarke broke cover for the first time since Scotland’s dismal Euro 2024 campaign.

He was back in the stand for his old club’s big night.

And so too were SPFL rivals from RANGERS – Mohamed Diomande, Rabbi Matondo and Cyriel Dessers.

The Ibrox trio were spotted in the Killie main stand 24 hours after starring in a friendly defeat at Birmingham City.

Later they went pitchside on the ground they’ll visit in October and the reason for their attendance became clear.

Not only were the Gers watching old pal Robby McCrorie in action after his summer switch – Matondo was watching some old team-mates of his own.

The Welsh winger spent his final season with Schalke on loan at Cercle in 2021-22.

And he was accompanied to the game by Belgian-born Dessers who had interest in the game too.

He stopped by to chat with Hannes Van der Bruggen at full-time.

Matondo went a step further and posed with old pals Edgaras Utkus and Jesper Daland who he played alongside for his season at the club.

The trio were treated to an exciting 90 minutes with the tie finely poised heading back to Belgium.

Former Ross County loanee Kareem Olaigbe gave Cercle Brugge the lead shortly after the interval.

But Killie gave it a right good go and got their reward eventually.

Stuart Findlay was denied an equaliser but there was no stopping Kyle Vassell and David Watson as they both leapt to convert the leveller – and the young star getting the final touch to keep Killie with a strong chance in the tie.

Derek McInnes said: “You always remember how the game finishes and we finished the stronger team. 

“The way we finished, we’re disappointed we haven’t won.

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“The tie’s in the balance but we’re there to win it. We have to take the belief from tonight.

“We’ll have our top goalscorer Marley Watkins back available to us, which I think will help us.”

Scorer Watson added:  “I’ve seen it back and he’s headed it off my head – so I’m claiming it.”

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