Rangers held by Kaizer Chiefs in closed-door Spain friendly
Rangers drew 1-1 with Kaizer Chiefs in a behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly in Spain, with Findlay Curtis scoring a late equaliser after the South African side led on 77 minutes. It matters because Derek McInnes used the game to give minutes to multiple summer signings and test options ahead of competitive fixtures.
Key Takeaways
- Result: Rangers and Kaizer Chiefs finished 1-1 in Spain in a closed-door friendly.
- Key moment: Findlay Curtis struck late with a dipping shot to level after Rangers fell behind on 77 minutes.
- New faces involved: Ben Godfrey, Ross McCrorie, Dan Neil and Lawrence Shankland all featured.
- Near miss: Nedim Bajrami hit the post shortly after Rangers conceded.
What happened in Rangers vs Kaizer Chiefs behind closed doors?
Rangers played Kaizer Chiefs in a closed-door friendly in Spain and it ended 1-1, according to the club. The South African side scored first in the 77th minute, before Rangers responded late on through Findlay Curtis.
Rangers said Curtis’ finish was a “superb dipping shot” over the goalkeeper, coming in the final minutes. BBC Sport also reported Curtis, a Scotland winger, came off the bench and scored late after Rangers went behind on 77 minutes.
Who stood out for Rangers and which signings got minutes?
Rangers confirmed summer signings Ben Godfrey, Ross McCrorie, Dan Neil and Lawrence Shankland were all involved. Their published team list included Rydnn McGuire in goal, with Dujon Sterling, Tuur Rommens, Tochi Chukwuani, Mohammed Diomande, Oliver Antman, Youssef Chermiti and Ryan Naderi also featuring among those used.
The Rangers Review noted McGuire started his third successive match in goal and said contract talks were expected to accelerate with the 17-year-old as he enters the final year of his current deal. It also reported Neil wore the captain’s armband, partnering Chukwuani in midfield, with changes after the break including minutes for Bajrami, Bojan Miovski and Shankland.
Why was it closed-door, and why does that matter now?
Neither Rangers nor BBC framed the match as a spectacle; it was a controlled pre-season workout in Spain with limited public access. That makes the key takeaways less about a scoreline and more about who played, how the squad is being shaped, and what combinations are being tried.
In a season where clubs increasingly treat friendlies like test environments, closed-door games can also limit noise and keep the focus on internal review. For more in this lane from our newsroom, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders hub: https://blasterpost.com/category/future-tech-ai-wonders/.
What’s next for Rangers after the Kaizer Chiefs draw?
Rangers said the Chiefs match was the first of two fixtures as McInnes’ side ramp up preparations ahead of their first Scottish Premiership game against Dundee United in just over two weeks.
The Rangers Review added Rangers had already played behind closed doors at Ibrox, beating Raith Rovers 5-1 and Dunfermline 3-1, with Naderi scoring in both. It also reported upcoming fixtures at Ibrox against St Etienne and West Ham later in July, before their league opener away at Tannadice.
For an authoritative match report, see BBC Sport’s coverage: Curtis strikes as Rangers draw with Kaizer Chiefs.