On the premise of this efficiency, Igamane can not be considered as a back-up choice to Dessers. This was an evening when the younger Rangers striker got here of age, writes CALUM CROWE
When Hamza Igamane joined Rangers back in the summer, the perception around the young Moroccan was that he would be one for the future.
Having played only a handful of games at first-team level in his homeland, Rangers knew they would need to be patient with a raw and unproven striker.
Igamane struggled with injury and fitness issues over those first couple of months at Ibrox, curtailing his involvement for Philippe Clement’s side.
When he eventually started to get some game-time, there was enough talent and flashes of creativity to suggest he could be a very decent bench player for the remainder of his debut season.
But that all changed in Nice. On his first European start for Rangers, and just his third start across all competitions, Igamane showed that he can no longer be considered a project player.
Those days are now behind him. The 22-year-old, whilst still very raw at times, has now earned the right to be given a run of games up front.
Hamza Igamane celebrates after scoring Rangers’ fourth goal against a shell-shocked Nice
Nice were hapless and helpless in defence as Igamane rolled in his second goal
Igamane set up Vaclav Cerny for the crucial opening goal in the Europa League clash
Igamane was terrific. He pestered the Nice defenders all night, using his physicality and work-rate to lay on the opening goal for Vaclav Cerny on 35 minutes.
He then scored two goals of his own either side of half-time to put Rangers 4-0 up and in cruise control.
The first showed good anticipation as he nipped in to pounce on a poor backpass, while the second showcased his skills as he nutmegged a defender before curling the ball into the far corner.
He was a breath of fresh air. Where Cyriel Dessers can look uninterested and often throws himself to the ground as he grapples with defenders, Igamane looked lively and dangerous.
On the basis of this performance, he can no longer be viewed as a back-up option to Dessers. This was a night when Igamane came of age.
The League Cup Final is only a couple of weeks away now. Clement knows what’s at stake. Another heavy defeat to Celtic and all the credit that comes with this emphatic win in Nice will be gone.
That’s just how it works. In that respect, Igamane could well be Clement’s joker in the pack at Hampden.
Rangers know what Dessers does against Celtic. He puts himself about and competes well enough. But he misses chances. Far too many of them (as evidenced again against Nice).
Less is known about what Igamane can do in those type of matches. If he can build on this display over the next couple of weeks, he could be Rangers’ biggest hope of a win against Celtic.
Granted, Nice were absolutely dreadful. The swathes of empty seats around the stadium were emblematic of a team who have lost interest in this Europa League campaign.
Some of the mistakes they made in defence were particularly awful. It was actually incredible to think this was a team who finished fifth in the French Ligue One last season.
Not that Rangers cared. With the backdrop of the French Riviera, and all the glitz and glamour that goes with it, this was a night when a new star was born for Rangers.
