The RANGERS are on the road again. Time will tell where, when and how it ends as Giovanni van Bronckhorst leads his side on another continental adventure.
If their Champions League campaign is not to suffer a familiar fate, Rangers will need to produce a performance and achieve a stage-worthy result at Ibrox.
In Stella Artois’ hometown, it was a night that left Van Bronckhorst’s side looking and feeling drunk. There can be no hangover next week if Rangers are to avoid another humiliating exit from Europe’s premier competition.
A two-goal deficit for this Union Saint-Gilloise side is by no means insurmountable, but the manner of the poor performance was as alarming as the result and Rangers just have to blame it. themselves to be in such a difficult position just 90 minutes away. continental campaign.
It wasn’t such an awkward evening, but the comparisons to 2008 came to mind. Following the UEFA Cup final defeat in Manchester, Walter Smith’s side crashed out against Kaunas and were knocked out of the Champions League.
Now Rangers have just one night at Ibrox to avoid history repeating itself after a poor outing, but one that could have been much worse for Van Bronckhorst.
The weeks and months since the Europa League final have felt like a lifetime for a fan who dared to dream and a team who had history at their fingertips. Some 76 days after that heartbreaking night in Sevilla, Rangers have returned to European action.
Memories of Malmö are not so fresh in mind, nor so painful to recall. They have, however, served as a warning to the Rangers and they know the perils that await them next week.
The Ibrox boss had spoken about the fairy tale story Union wrote last season as they got closer to their folklore moment. In the end, they had to settle for second place in the Premier League and, like Rangers, enter the qualifying round to try to reach the group stages and reap the rewards of such a feat.
The Belgians were the team Rangers would have hand-picked before the balls were taken out for those fixtures, but the luck of the draw was not kind on Tuesday morning. If progress can be assured at Ibrox, a formidable meeting with Monaco or PSV awaits you during the next fortnight.
Den Dreef Stadium was a compact and scenic arena to start the journey. With their historic home of the Joseph Marien Stadium unable to host UEFA matches, Union had to make the short drive from Brussels to the venue which is the base of OH Leuven.
The group in red, white and blue who watched the last quarter near and far and made their own journey here made themselves heard as the clock ticked towards kick-off. Once the recovery started, it was time for Van Bronckhorst’s team to let their football do the talking.
However, their performance was nothing short of exceptional. After a brilliant start, Rangers went passive, with their three-man defense looking shaky and their midfield offering no support to a forward line that was out of service for long stretches.
A year older and wiser since leaving Malmö, it was a chance to show they were better too, but the opposition and the opportunity seemed to somehow inexplicably scare Rangers as they failed again on this step.
There were promising signs early on as Borna Barisic closed in on a free-kick and Malik Tillman and James Sands forced smart saves from keeper Anthony Moris. Such moments proved fleeting, however, and it was Union who was sharper with and without the ball.
The goal arrived before the half hour mark. Ryan Jack and Barisic were guilty after failing to clear their lines, while Jon McLaughlin cannot escape scrutiny for his feeble efforts to block a strike from Teddy Teuma.
McLaughlin’s mistake would have prompted knee-jerk reactions to his new status as first-choice keeper, but it was a time for clear heads and calm thoughts as Van Bronckhorst sought to find the solutions to self-inflicted problems at the break.
A handful couldn’t complain about being replaced. In the end, the same team had the opportunity to raise their game to an acceptable level after the restart.
It was dull and dull stuff from Van Bronckhorst, however, and the home crowd rose in anticipation every time Union advanced. A header from Lazare Amani was unsuccessful and Bart Nieuwkoop worried McLaughlin with a low whistle at the near post.
Ben Davies replaced Ryan Jack in the first switch after 66 minutes as Sands changed sides at the back and John Lundstram moved forward in midfield. The form was questionable, but Van Bronckhorst was let down by his staff.
McLaughlin saved well from Simon Adingra and Dante Vanzeir in quick succession as Union continued to press for the second goal that would have changed the complexion of the tie.
When Connor Goldson was penalized for the handball after a lengthy VAR check, they had their best chance. With a penalty that was as cool as it was composed, Vanzeir took the opportunity to double the lead.
A few minutes later, a magnificent save from McLaughlin denied another to Yanzeir during the break. If that had gone in, the tie might well have already overtaken Rangers.
The Rangers survived the scare, but the damage was done then. Van Bronckhorst only has to wait a week to find out how expensive it will be and if a trip has already ended this term.