Manager Philippe Clement revealed his Rangers side earned themselves a rare Sunday off after going five points clear of Celtic at the top of the cinch Premiership with a 5-0 win over Hearts.
Midfielder Mohamed Diomande’s fine strike in just over a minute at Ibrox set the tone for an impressive performance.
Oscar Cortes doubled that lead with his first goal as a Light Blues player with striker Cyriel Dessers adding a third and fourth just before and after the break and substitute Fabio Silva scoring a fifth to pile pressure on Celtic, who take on Motherwell at Fir Park on Sunday.
The Gers boss, looking ahead to the visit to Kilmarnock on Wednesday night, said: “There is nothing won. We won three points and have a difficult day again on Wednesday. I am already thinking about Wednesday.
“That is my character and it is what it is. It is also the best way and I want to see that from my players also. They can enjoy it, they can be happy today.
“They even have a day off tomorrow, that doesn’t happen that much. That was to be decided about results in the last couple of weeks so they deserve that.
“I expect that they come in really fresh on Monday with a lot of mentality and hunger for more. It is all about that. To be ambitious, to be hungry for more, to be better.”
The Belgian was not totally satisfied with everything he saw in the Gers’ 10th successive win, adding: “Not everything. But it has been one of the best until now, I think.
“If I want everything, I want to have less shots against on target in the second half.
“But we made a lot of changes and the other team has nothing to lose. Then you can get into this situation. Maybe Jack (Butland) was happy that he could show his quality in this game.
“I am really pleased but I see what I see in the training. It is not that these things are falling out of the sky.
“The team is growing, we have been talking about that a lot in the last weeks and months. They played a really good game and they took the moments also. That is important in football.
“The first goal from Dio is really important in a game like that to open up the game and then we continue and it is good that there is a hunger and desire to never stop, to always want more.
“That is the mentality I want to see and what we have been talking about the last couple of months.”
Third-placed Jambos suffered their first defeat in 13 matches and boss Steven Naismith was unhappy at the goals his side conceded.
The former Ibrox forward said: “We lost some of the weakest goals we have conceded at bad times in the game.
“After Rangers going top of the league last week and playing before Celtic this week, we knew they were going to start fast and the atmosphere would be loud and we probably didn’t deal with that well enough.
“When we concede the two goals, one early in the first half, one early in the second half, it is an uphill battle.
“It is a lesson to be learned. I would hope it wouldn’t (affect us) because we are in a really good place.”
Austin FC v Houston Dynamo: Olsen reveals 'tough conversations' as derby looms
Ben Olsen had to hold a few "tough conversations" to get the Houston Dynamo out of their slump, with Saturday's Texas derby at Austin FC offering them the chance for back-to-back wins.
The Dynamo approached Saturday's trip to Sporting Kansas City both winless and goalless in three MLS matches (one draw, two defeats), while they were also dumped out of the U.S. Open Cup by Detroit City FC.
However, goals from Hector Herrera and Ibrahim Aliyu handed them a 2-1 road win and lifted them into the top seven of the Western Conference – above Austin by a single point.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday's grudge match against a team that won the reverse fixture less than a month ago, Olsen credited his players for coming through a tough patch.
"I think some people were questioning us, and we've had a few tough conversations, particularly with the U.S. Open cup knockout. This was just a really good response," he said.
"We have to figure out when we are at our best, to think, 'who are we, at our best?'
"It was our defensive effort that we hung our hat on last year, so it's a bit of a renewed feeling of that being there."
Austin, by contrast, were on a run of four wins in six games before they were beaten 2-1 by another Texas rival in FC Dallas on Saturday.
Despite that reverse, centre-back Julio Cascante has praised the defensive work done by coach Josh Wolff, with Austin looking far more competitive than was the case in their dismal 2023 season.
"Despite everything, we've worked very hard on the defensive side," Cascante said.
"Emphasis has been placed on the defensive side, but defending is done as an entire team. It starts with the number nine. I think that makes the difference."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Austin FC – Sebastian Driussi
Driussi scored a consolation from the penalty spot at Dallas on Saturday, his third goal of the season in eight MLS starts.
Only Diego Rubio, who has started three additional games, has matched that tally for Austin this year. The Argentine will be looking to carry his team's attacking hopes again here.
Houston Dynamo – Amine Bassi
Bassi recorded his third assist of the season by teeing up Hector Herrera's 31st-minute strike against Sporting on Saturday.
All three of Bassi's assists have come on goals from outside the box this season – Houston's only three strikes from outside the penalty area.
MATCH PREDICTION – AUSTIN FC WIN
Houston have won three of their first five road matches this year, having only recorded more than three regular-season away wins in one of the last 10 campaigns, winning four times on their travels in 2022.
However, Austin have won all four of their previous home matches against Houston, netting multiple goals in each contest. The Dynamo are one of two teams – alongside Kansas City – that Austin have hosted more than once while posting a 100 per cent record.
Austin have also won three straight at home after only winning once in their previous 10 outings at Q2 Stadium. Back on home soil after Saturday's derby loss, they will expect a different result.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Austin FC – 44.9%
Houston Dynamo – 26.9%
Draw – 28.2%
Rangers 5-2 Dundee: Cantwell and Wright keep Celtic's title party on hold
Rangers kept Celtic's Scottish Premiership celebrations on ice after Todd Cantwell and Scott Wright inspired a remarkable turnaround to hammer Dundee 5-2 at Ibrox Stadium on Tuesday.
Philippe Clement's side could not afford to drop points in this clash and seemed set to do so after Jordan McGhee bundled home before Antonio Portales headed past Jack Butland in the first half.
Ross McCausland managed to slice the deficit on the stroke of half-time for the hosts, sliding in to convert from Leon King's cross and teeing up a monumental comeback.
The Ibrox crowd were offered further inspiration to keep the title race alive when Cyriel Dessers glanced in from Cantwell's delivery after 52 minutes.
Former Norwich City midfielder Cantwell's fortuitous cross then dipped over Jon McCracken as Rangers hit the front for the first time, before Wright's pair of late finishes sealed the much-needed three points.
Yet this Rangers salvaging act could still matter for little, with Celtic requiring just a point away to Kilmarnock on Wednesday to seal a third successive top-flight trophy.
Data Debrief: Attacking barrage pays dividends
Clement may apportion this victory to Rangers' unrelenting desire to keep the title race ongoing, blasting 31 shots – and 13 of those on target – at the Dundee target for their 3.34 expected goals (xG) tally.
A plethora of attacking opportunities must be credited to star man Cantwell, who created a game-leading six chances – four more than any other Rangers team-mate.
Vilahamn wants to use FA Cup final defeat as 'beginning' for Tottenham Women
Tottenham Women manager Robert Vilahamn believes his side will use their FA Cup final defeat to start something special, rather than ending their good work.
Spurs were hammered 4-0 by Manchester United Women in Sunday's Wembley Stadium showpiece as Ella Toone and Rachel Williams were on target before Lucia Garcia's second-half double.
Vilahamn's side failed to manage a shot on target but the Spurs boss suggested his team will catch up to the women's elite clubs.
"The main thing I said was this is not the end, it is the beginning," Vilahamn said.
"We still have a gap between us and the top teams but that's normal. We are closing the gap but we haven't closed the gap yet."
Tottenham finished sixth in the Women's Super League as well as reaching this final, their first FA Cup showpiece appearance in their short history.
Vilahamn wants his Spurs players to use this defeat as motivation going forward.
"If you take away the feelings right now, you need to look at these players doing some incredible things this year," he said.
"We are at Wembley playing in front of our fans and they are actually enjoying it and staying, and supporting us after.
"We got a good experience today and we are learning how to play at Wembley more times. We need to look at it that way because the players are amazing."
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