Champions League: The night Rangers thrashed PSV Eindhoven 4-1 at Ibrox

The group stage of the Champions League is within touching distance for Rangers.

Dutch outfit PSV Eindhoven, who finished second in Eredivisie last season, are all that stand between the Ibrox club and a place in Europe’s premier club competition.

PSV are no strangers to Giovanni van Bronckhorst and the Rangers boss will be hoping for a commanding lead to take back to his homeland next week for the second leg.

Amoruso blocking Ruud van Nistelrooy's path. — Amoruso blocking Ruud van Nistelrooy’s path. SNS Group

If he needs any inspiration, van Bronckhorst need look no further than the last time PSV were in Govan on Champions League duty in 1999.

Having already won 1-0 in Eindhoven earlier in the group, Rangers recorded an emphatic 4-1 victory at Ibrox with Lorenzo Amoruso, Michael Mols and Neil McCann on the scoresheet.

Who lined up for Rangers that night?

German Stefan Klos started in goal for Rangers, while the back four consisted of Tony Vidmar, Lorenzo Amoruso, Craig Moore and Sergio Porrini.

Current boss van Bronckhorst was in midfield alongside Barry Ferguson, Derek McInnes and Neil McCann.

The forward line consisted of Rod Wallace and Michael Mols.

Back row from left: Stefan Klos, Lorenzo Amoruso, Derek Mcinnes, Tony Vidmar, Sergio Porrini and Michael Mols. Front row from left: Craig Moore, Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, Barry Ferguson, Neil McCann and Rod Wallace. SNS Group

Rudd van Nistelrooy, the current PSV manager, started up front for the Dutch side.

How did the match go?

PSV were unbeaten in their domestic league when they arrived in Glasgow.

But Rangers, managed by Dutchman Dick Advocaat, put in a dominant performance. Amoruso scored the opening goal from a van Bronckhorst corner and the Ibrox side extended their lead when Mols headed home McCann’s cross.

Van Nistelrooy pulled one back from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time to bring PSV back into the match.

Van Nistelrooy brought one back from the penalty spot. SNS Group

However, McCann stabbed home a third goal for Rangers and Mols scored his second of the night to put gloss on the final scoreline.

Michael Mols scoring for Rangers. SNS Group

McCann stabbing the ball home to put Rangers 3-1 ahead. SNS Group

McCann wheeling away in celebration. SNS Group

PSV players to watch

PSV have a youthful side, but they have some experienced players such as Netherlands striker Luuk de Jong, who is back at the club after spells with Sevilla and Barcelona.

Winger Cody Gakpo scored 21 goals last season plus two for the Dutch national team and has already netted three times this season. The 23-year-old is reportedly an immediate transfer target for Manchester United.

Former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker van Nistelrooy, who played for PSV from 1998 to 2001, began his first managerial job at the start of this season after coaching for the Dutch national team and PSV youth set-up.

Do PSV have a strong European pedigree?

PSV have won two European trophies – the 1978 UEFA Cup and 1988 European Cup.

They played in all three competitions last season, losing to Benfica in the Champions League play-offs, finishing behind Monaco and Real Sociedad in the Europa League groups and then reaching the quarter-finals of the Conference League, where they lost to Leicester.

They last reached the Champions League group stage in 2018-19 and got two points from a tough group featuring Tottenham, Inter Milan and Barcelona.