Ferencvaros 2-1 Rangers: Europa League woes continue as Danny Rohl's side slip to defeat

Danny Rohl’s Rangers again found the Europa League too much of a burden with a 2-1 defeat by Ferencvaros in Budapest.

Gers striker Bojan Miovski scored an acrobatic opener in the 27th minute with the visitors’ first shot on goal.

However, Bence Otvos levelled for Robbie Keane’s side in the fifth of five added minutes at the end of the first half when the Ibrox side let their guard down.

The Light Blues offered almost nothing of an attacking threat after the break and they succumbed again in the 73rd minute when Ferencvaros striker Barnabas Varga easily headed in from close range to leave the Gers effectively out of the tournament.

Rohl has won five in seven in the William Hill Premiership since taking over from Russell Martin but has taken just one point from 12 in Europe, with the Light Blues winning one point in total from six of eight league phase fixtures .

The home side passed up a glorious chance in the third minute when attacker Bamidele Yusuf easily ran through the Gers defence and screwed his shot wide of the target.

The visitors settled but in the 18th minute goalkeeper Jack Butland failed to collect a high ball in a packed penalty area following a corner and Toon Raemaekers poked the ball wide from 12 yards.

The Hungarian side, playing in green and white hoops so closely associated with the Gers’ Old Firm rivals Celtic, regained the upper hand but they were undone with a moment of magic.

Miovski’s spectacular hitch kick from six yards, after Danilo tried to get on to a cross from Max Aarons, appeared to be from an offside position but there was huge cheers from the Gers support when VAR confirmed the goal.

Moments later, Yusuf took a clever pass from Otvos but hit the side-netting from eight yards but just when it looked like Rohl’s side would escape down the tunnel at the interval with a lead, the 27-year-old Hungary attacker swept in a cut-back from captain Ibrahim Cisse, with the ball taking a slight deflection off Nasser Djiga before speeding past Butland.

In the 50th minute, with a chasm in the Gers defence, only a terrific recovery tackle from Djiga prevented Varga getting a shot in against Butland with the Light Blues dealing with the corner.

The stretching Djiga then blocked an effort from Yusuf as Rangers remained penned in.

Eight minutes later, Dujon Sterling, back from a long-term Achilles injury which had kept him out since April, came on for Aarons, with Mikey Moore on for Djeidi Gassama, and soon Youssef Chermiti took over from Miovski with Findlay Curtis replacing Danilo.

However, Ferencvaros remained on top and forged ahead when Callum O’Dowda’s cross from the left was headed in by Varga who was given a free header by Gers defender Emmanuel Fernandez.

In the 87th minute Curtis had a decent shot saved by Ferencvaros keeper David Grof but there was no late siege.