Int’L media reacts to Rangers loanee display in win last night

South American journalists have had their say on Rangers loanee Jose Cifuentes after Ecuador beat Guatemala 2-0 on Thursday (21 March).

John Yeboah opened the scoring in the eighth minute before Gonzalo Plata ensured victory for Ecuador in the 86th minute.

Cifuentes, who is on loan from Rangers with Brazillian club Cruzeiro, started and played 73 minutes of the friendly at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey, leaving certain members of the South American press wowed by his display.

Brazilian journalist Caio Fabio wrote via X (22 March), “Cifuentes is way above average! I can’t wait for him to get his first opportunity as a starter at Cruzeiro. I am convinced that he will take the position so as not to lose again.”

Meanwhile, Luis Alberto Otero H (22 March) feels that Cifuentes should “have daily contact” with the Ecuadorian national team, while Ecuadorian news outlet Primicias (22 March) awarded the midfielder an 8 out of 10 match rating.

“It was striking that he won all his duels and, furthermore, that he registered high precision in his passes, both long and short. For those who say that he neither adds nor subtracts, today he took the opportunity to show his qualities.”

Although not everyone was impressed by the 25-year-old, with Mauricio Bermúdez Pesántez writing via X (22 March) that Cifuentes demonstrated elements of “imprecision” during the clash.

It looks a long way back for Cifuentes at Rangers now, no matter what he does with Ecuador or Cruzeiro.

The midfielder was one of the most underwhelming summer signings made by Rangers, and as a result, he was sent out on a 12-month loan by Philippe Clement just six months after arriving at Ibrox.

Cifuentes started just six Scottish Premiership matches before he was sent to Brazil, with Clement hardly using the Ecuadorian at Ibrox following his arrival at the club.

If Cifuentes wants to show Clement that he made a mistake sending him out on loan, he will need to do much more than put in a mixed display against Guatemala in an international friendly.

Cifuentes is yet to start for Cruzeiro, and that will concern those watching back in Scotland.

It sounds like he took some positive strides on Thursday night, but Cifuentes must now build on this momentum when he returns to action with Cruzeiro if he is to have any slim hopes of salvaging his career with the Gers.