The Daily Acca: European glory for Glasgow Rangers

Bet 1: Back Rangers @ 11/20 – KO 19:45 BST

Steven Gerrard is yet to be defeated as Rangers manager and it was another win at the weekend as they beat Kilmarnock in the League Cup. In this competition they have already knocked out Maribor, Osijek and Shkupi, and they are now just one round away from the group stage.

The Gers have won three of their four outings at Ibrox this term and the other was a draw in a game where a draw would suffice. They appear to be mentally strong under their new manager – coming back from adversity when being reduced to 10 men on a couple of occasions – and I can’t see them losing their bottle now.

The visitors are Russian club, Ufa, and they have come through two previous rounds to get this far. It has to be said though that their opponents were weaker than that of Rangers on the whole, and they actually only won one of the four games – the other three were draws. They have also started their domestic campaign indifferently.

Bet 2: Back Flamengo to win to nil @ 4/5 – KO 23:30 BST

Flamengo need to get on the front foot again having lost two of their last three in the Brazilian Campeonato. They are now down to third, and while victory in their game in hand tonight won’t see them improve on that, they will close the gap on leaders, Sao Paulo, to two points.

Both of those defeats came on the road, and on this ground they have won their last three in the league. Two of those were to nil – and of their eight home wins this term, seven of them came without conceding a goal.

Opponents, Vitoria, are down in 17th place and they come into the match in miserable form having taken just one point from a possible 12 of late. The defeats were heavy too – a pair of 4-0’s and a 3-0 – and they have lost four of their last six on their travels.

Bet 3: Back BTTS in Atletico Mineiro v Vasco da Gama @ 5/6 – KO 00:00 BST (Fri)

The hosts are strongly fancied to win this match and although I don’t necessarily disagree with that, my strongest opinion on this game is that both teams will score.

Vasco da Gama failed to find the net on their last away outing, but prior to that they have scored in five of their six away games this season. This selection has landed in five of their seven on the road this term – and that includes fixtures at the current top two in the division.

Atletico Mineiro are up to sixth in the table following a couple of victories, games in which they scored three times themselves. One concern they must have however is that it’s just one clean sheet in seven in front of their own fans, as both teams to score backers have collected in four of them.