Rangers star Kemar Roofe sent off after leaving Slavia keeper Ondrej Kolar with huge facial wounds with flying high boot

RANGERS star Kemar Roofe was sent off after leaving Slavia Prague keeper Ondrej Kolar bloodied with a flying high boot to the face. The Light Blues striker was brought on to replace Scott Arfield in the 55th minute at Ibrox – but saw red just six minutes later after an ugly mid-air collision. Replays showed […]

RANGERS star Kemar Roofe was sent off after leaving Slavia Prague keeper Ondrej Kolar bloodied with a flying high boot to the face.

The Light Blues striker was brought on to replace Scott Arfield in the 55th minute at Ibrox – but saw red just six minutes later after an ugly mid-air collision.

PA

Kemar Roofe was sent off after kicking Slavia Prague keeper Ondrej Kolar in the face[/caption]

EPA

The challenge was purely accidental but Roofe saw red for endangering an opponent[/caption]

Reuters

Kolar had to leave the pitch on a stretcher and with a makeshift bandage on his forehead[/caption]

Replays showed that the Rangers star had his eye on the ball and that it was a purely accidental challenge.

However, Roofe was ultimately sent off for endangering an opponent – and Kolar being carried off on a stretcher with a bandaged forehead.

Images later emerged showing the keeper had sustained a nasty gash about three inches long on his forehead, as well as another wound under his eye.

Thankfully, he returned to the Slavia dugout with bandages on his face to watch the rest of the match – a 2-0 win that sent Rangers crashing out – alongside his team-mates.

Slavia were forced to replace the goalie with 18-year-old keeper Matyas Vagner.

Speaking on the BBC’s Sportsound show, ex-Rangers player Charlie Adam said of the challenge: “That is indefensible.

“If Roofe goes with his head, he’s got more chance of the goalkeeper taking him out and winning a penalty.”

Rangers hero Peter Lovenkrands added: “Roofe can easily kick that ball and bring his foot down.

“To me, I think he can get his foot out of the way of the goalkeepers head. It’s a definite red card.”

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AFP

Blood can be seen coming from the gash on Kolar’s forehead[/caption]

In a very bad night for Steven Gerrard’s side, Roofe wasn’t the only Rangers player who was sent off.

Leon Balogun eventually followed the striker after being shown a second yellow card.

The result was even worse, with the Light Blues crashing out of the Europa League after a 2-0 defeat.

Peter Olayinka gave the visitors the lead on the night – and on aggregate – after just 14 minutes.

Nicolae Stanciu later sealed the victory with a superb strike from a free kick in the second half.

It means that Rangers’ Europa League campaign has ended at the Last 16 stage for the second successive season.