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Last-gasp own goal denies Rangers Europa League group stage top spot

Rangers were minutes away from securing first place in their group - Action Images via Reuters
Rangers were minutes away from securing first place in their group - Action Images via Reuters

For the second time in four days, Rangers’ inability to pocket a game that was in their grasp subjected their followers to needless torment. Having taken a first-half lead through Alfredo Morelos – who finished the evening as top scorer in any of the Europa League groups – Steven Gerrard’s players were on course to finish top of their section only to concede a last-minute equaliser and finish with 10 men after Ryan Jack was shown a second yellow card.

In his match programme notes, Gerrard reiterated the belief that Rangers had been the better team in Sunday’s Betfred Scottish League Cup final at Hampden Park but that superiority on the day as a factor is ‘not what gets you a trophy or makes you a winner’.

The missing ingredient at Hampden, of course, was Rangers’ inability to find the net despite a torrent of chances, most of which fell to Morelos. Whatever the state of the Colombian’s morale subsequently, it was judged sufficiently intact for him to lead the line in this tie. The match programme, meanwhile, carried a rare interview with the Colombian, which prudently avoided the subject of his weekend performance.

Gerrard, in fact, stuck with the XI who had appeared at Hampden except for the enforced change of Niko Katic for Filip Helander, who sustained a foot injury against Celtic. As for the fans, despite the blow inflicted by their arch rivals, Rangers emerged to the customary bedlam of a European night, while the 2500 travelling supporters produced the usual flare display, bad news for anyone with a lung ailment in the adjacent stands.

Rangers began in almost identical fashion to their opening against Celtic, with waves of attacks which rolled Young Boys back on to their own penalty box and it took a decisive intervention from Nicolas Burgy to prevent the opening goal as early as the third minute when he touched a Scott Arfield cutback away from the toe of Ryan Kent’s boot dead in front of goal.

Alfredo Morelos of Rangers FC scores his team's first goal during the UEFA Europa League group G match between Rangers FC and BSC Young Boys - Credit: Getty images
Alfredo Morales had put Rangers in front on the half-hour mark Credit: Getty images

Joe Aribo found Morelos for a flick which should have hit the mark before the striker evoked unwelcome memories of his fortunes against Celtic by trimming a shot beyond David von Ballmoos, only to watch it bobble in front of the goal line and out of play beyond the far post. Midway through the first half, Morelos at last got one-on-one against Von Ballmoos but the goalkeeper made the block.

By this stage news had come through that Porto were leading Feyenoord at home but as the Rangers support checked their calculations anxiously, Morelos struck. A lofted ball from Kent perplexed Frederik Sorensen, who was left in the striker’s wake as he drew Von Ballmoos from his line and slid the ball beyond him for his sixth group stage goal.

Rangers almost made it to the interval entirely at their ease, but a dew seconds before the break they were reminded of the need for concentration when a whipped cross from Ulisses Garcia was met by Christian Fassnacht with a powerful header which swept over the crossbar.

Rangers, though, failed to heed the warning light and Fassnacht finished the second half with a disruptive contribution as they defended deeper and deeper, inviting a sucker punch which duly arrived when Felix Mambimbi bolted down the left flank to strike a driven cutback. It came off Borna Barisic and crossed the line despite Allan McGregor’s frantic attempt to claw it back before Fassnacht resolved any doubt by piling in to force the ball into the net.

Down to 10 men because of Jack’s dismissal, Rangers held on to secure a place in the last 32 but – second to Porto in Group G – they were denied the seeded berth that would have made life easier in the round of 32.