Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Gers need to change game ‘big time’ after defeat in the first leg
RANGERS’ first step towards the Champions League ended in some despair with a 2-0 defeat by Union Saint-Gilloise in the first leg of their third qualifying round in Belgium.
The Ibrox side’s exciting journey to the Europa League final last season whetted the appetite for European football’s elite club competition.
However, amid a passive first-half performance by the Light Blues, the home side took the lead in the 27th minute when captain Teddy Teuma opened the scoring with a shot which asked questions of Gers keeper Jon McLaughlin’s attempt to save.
A laboured display from Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side continued after the break and a Dante Vanzeir penalty in the 76th minute doubled the Belgian side’s lead.
The return game is at Ibrox next Tuesday and Rangers will have to come up with something really special if they are to face either Monaco or PSV Eindhoven in the play-off.
Gers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst admitted that the damage could have been greater although he questioned the penalty given against Connor Goldson when the ball was deflected on to his arm.
He said: “It was very disappointing. We were a little bit lucky that it was only 2-0 even though the penalty decision – I was surprised he gave a penalty.
“We couldn’t do anything else with the deflection, with the handball.
“The penalty was given, they scored and the most important thing now is to reflect on our own game because we need to change it around next Tuesday and we need to change it around big time, and the performance needs to be a lot better than we showed today.”