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Rangers Book Place in Europa League Last 16 After Sealing 4-2 Aggregate Win Over Braga

​Rangers became the first side to book their place in the Europa League last 16 with a 1-0 away victory over Braga on Wednesday evening, recording a 4-2 aggregate success over the Portuguese side.

Steven Gerrard's side looked like having their European ambitions dashed during the first leg in Glasgow, falling two goals down against the Primeira Liga outfit with 60 minutes played.

An incredible rally from the Scottish club saw them emerge 3-2 winners, and it was apparent from the opening of the second leg that their confidence from the first encounter had followed them to Portugal.

Scott Arfield was slid through with less than ten minutes on the clock, and he raced through towards the box before sliding the ball to Florian Kamberi whose tame effort was fired straight at the goalkeeper.


The absence of Alfredo Morelos through suspension looked like proving as costly as initially expected, with Kamberi's poor control in the box letting the stand-in striker down when placed in a good position.

Once again Rangers were left to rue their finishing as Ryan Kent found himself equally as guilty as Kamberi before him. Lovely play down the wing from Ianis Hagi saw him beat two men before squaring for Kent, but his effort was rushed and went comfortably wide of the post.

For all their chances from open play, Hagi was handed the best opportunity of the half to put the visitors in front on the night, but his penalty was well saved by Matheus Lima Magalhães after Braga were correctly penalised for handball in the box.


Left to rue their misses at half time, Rangers continued to press after the restart and found the crucial away goal their performance merited. 


This time, Kent raced clear at goal after a defence splitting pass from Hagi, keeping his composure to tuck away a neat finish beyond the goalkeeper to spark scenes of jubilation in the traveling end.


From this point on it was a bombardment of crosses into the Rangers box, with Braga throwing caution to the wind in search of the goal they desperately craved.

Ryan Kent,Scott Arfield,Greg Stewart,Florian Kamberi

They came within inches of finding it through their forward Paulinho, but he couldn't direct his header inside the post as it caressed the outside of the upright and away to safety.


Gerrard's men would hold on for the remainder of a nervy end to the game, in turn recording a famous victory and reaching the last 16 of the Europa League. The victory ensured they become the first Scottish club to win both legs of a European post-qualifying round knock-out tie since Celtic beat Blackburn Rovers in November 2002.


Source : 90min