Rangers vs Club Brugge: 3-1 home defeat in first leg of Champions League play-off

Rangers have a mountain to climb in Belgium if they want to reach the Champions League after suffering a home defeat in the first leg of their play-off tie.

Club Brugge ran out 3-1 winners at Ibrox on Tuesday night to put themselves in the driving seat in the journey towards the continent’s top competition.

The result followed a nightmare first half for the home side at Ibrox, who found themselves 3-0 down going into break.

At one stage it looked as though they were potentially facing a really humiliating night as the Belgians seemed to be ripping them open at will.

But after regrouping at half-time they got one back through Danilo that gives a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel.

Rangers went into the game with an expectant crowd behind them, and they would have been looking for a good result to take over to Belgium, which would give them a chance of qualifying for the Champions League proper for the first time since 2021.

But it was Brugge who made a blistering start and found themselves two goals up within the first seven minutes through goals from Romeo Vermant and Jorne Spileers.

And things went from bad to worse for Rangers when Brandon Mechele added a third just halfway through the first 45.

With just 20 minutes on the clock, it already looked as though Russell Martin’s Champions League hopes were hanging by a thread as some supporters started heading for the exits.

However, they were thrown a lifeline early in the second half when Danilo struck from close range.

New signing Jayden Meghoma, who had been one bright spark in the first half, registered an assist on his debut when he burst up the left-hand side before crossing for the Brazilian forward to make it 3-1.

Djeidi Gassama looked like he set up a blockbuster last ten minutes when he had the ball in the net on the 79th minute.

But after a VAR check, it was found that the Brugge goalkeeper had both hands on the ball before the French winger kicked it into the net, and the goal was ruled out.

It ended 3-1, and Rangers will travel to Belgium with their Champions League chances hanging by a thread.

The second leg will be played in Bruges next Wednesday.