18-Year-Old Curtis Stuns in Rangers' European Victory

Eighteen-year-old Findlay Curtis experienced a sleepless night before his European debut for Rangers against Panathinaikos, with the young winger too excited to rest ahead of what would become a career-defining moment.

"My mum had to remind me to get some sleep," Curtis revealed after his match-winning performance in Rangers' 2-0 Champions League qualifier victory. "When the manager named me in the starting lineup on Tuesday morning, I was speechless. Texting my parents about it brought them to tears - it was a special family moment."

First-Half Struggles Turned Second-Half Triumph

The match began challengingly for Curtis and his teammates, with Panathinaikos dominating early play in Russell Martin's first competitive game as manager. Rangers relied heavily on goalkeeper Jack Butland's heroics as the Greek side squandered multiple scoring opportunities.

"We started well but had a sloppy 15-minute spell," Curtis admitted. "The halftime team talk made all the difference - we completely transformed in the second half."

Game-Changing Moments

Curtis emerged as the match's decisive figure with two pivotal contributions:

• Scoring the opening goal with what he called "my best first touch ever"
• Drawing the foul that earned Panathinaikos' right-back a second yellow card

"That first touch gave me the confidence to take on defenders," Curtis explained. "The red card incident came from trusting my instincts - taking the ball inside at the right moment."

Legendary Recognition

The dream night culminated with praise from football icon Sir Alex Ferguson. "Having a legend like that congratulate me on my goal... it's another dream come true," said Curtis, still processing his Champions League debut heroics.

With the tie only at halftime, Curtis and Rangers now look ahead to the second leg in Athens, carrying a valuable 2-0 advantage from this breakthrough performance.