Rangers headed straight into the last 16 of the Europa League after a 2-1 win over Union Saint-Gilloise.
With the cards all falling in Rangers’ favour with results elsewhere across Europe going for them, it enabled Rangers to book their place in the top eight and set up a tie against Bodo/Glimt, Anderlecht, Twente or Fenerbahce with the draw taking place tomorrow.
Goals from Nico Raskin and Vaclav Cerny had Rangers looking comfortable before USG rallied with the game ending on a knife-edge as they pushed for a leveller, scoring three big chances in added time.
Raskin’s goal helped to settle any early grumbles inside Ibrox when he peeled away to the back post to nod James Tavernier’s deep cross into the net.
USG had ignored a similar move a moment earlier when Cyriel Dessers had met a Tavernier free-kick with his effort going just wide of the mark.
Rangers had been forced into an early reshuffle after Leon King was forced off following an early head collision. The defender had tried to play on before signalling to the bench that he was struggling with double vision.
Franjo Ivanovic thought he had levelled for the visitors with Rangers given a reprieve when VAR ruled that the goal was offside. There would have been some relief at the call given the cheapness with which Rangers had conceded; having lost a couple pf headers in their own penaty area, Ivanovic, had been able to stick out a leg to prod the ball through the legs of Jack Butland.
Mohammed Fuseini dragged an effort wide of the target as USG tried to force their way back into the tie before Dessers had the ball in the net as he thought he had doubled Rangers’ advantage. It was the turn of the visitors then to get off the hook with VAR confirming an immediate call that the striker was offside.
USG emerged from the break intent on putting Rangers under question with the visitors irked not to have been on level terms within minutes of the restarts.
Mohammed Fuseini left Jack Butland on his backside and in no-man’s land only for Tavernier to get back and block the shot before Ivanovic scooped the ball over the bar from close range.
It was Cerny who settled any nerves when he got the elusive second for the Ibrox side after Dessers had cut inside from the left and supplied the oncoming Cerny who fizzed a low shot into the back of the net.
Emboldened, Rangers went in search of a third with Cerny battering the post with a rasping 25-yard effort.
USG pulled one back to set up an anxious finale after Kevin McAllister headed past Butland, with the goal surviving a marathon VAR check.
Again, Rangers lived dangerously with Kevin Rodriguez lifting an effort over the bar from close range. Ross Sykes then blasted an effort wildly over as Rangers held on.
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