Club Brugge secured an excellent position in the Champions League play-offs after claiming a 3-1 victory over Rangers at Ibrox. The Belgian side struck three times inside the opening 20 minutes through Vermant, Spileers and Mechele, before the home side pulled one back early in the second half. Despite the pressure from Rangers, Brugge stood firm to take a valuable advantage into next week’s return leg.
Coach Hayen made six changes from last weekend's clash with Zulte Waregem. Mignolet returned in goal, Sabbe and Seys came into defence, Onyedika replaced Reis in midfield, while Forbs and Vermant started up front in place of Sandra and Tresoldi.
The match began in a fiery atmosphere at Ibrox, but Brugge silenced the crowd almost immediately. With just two minutes gone, a mix-up between Djiga and Butland allowed Romeo Vermant to go clean through on goal. The forward kept his composure and lofted the ball delightfully into the net. Only moments later, it was 2-0 as Jorne Spileers was left completely unmarked from a Tzolis corner and turned the ball home with ease.
Forbs continued to threaten with his pace and almost forced an own goal when his cross deflected off Souttar onto the top of the net. But after 20 minutes Brugge had their third, and in spectacular fashion. Brandon Mechele, making his 500th appearance for the club, lashed in a stunning strike from the edge of the box after a clearance fell his way.
Rangers looked to respond. A Rothwell free-kick struck the outside of the post and Gassama curled wide of the far upright. At the other end, Brugge might have added a fourth when Forbs cut inside and tested Butland, who produced a fine save. Tzolis then pounced on a defensive error just before the break, but dragged his effort wide.
Vermant had picked up an injury in the first half and was replaced by Tresoldi at the interval. The home side immediately pushed forward and pulled one back on 50 minutes. Meghoma’s cross found Danilo, who finished from close range to lift the Ibrox crowd. The momentum seemed to shift, but Brugge steadied themselves and created further chances. Stanković almost picked out Tresoldi, and Butland was sharp to deny a Mechele header.
Rangers gradually built pressure. Gassama drilled narrowly wide before substitute Moore fired over the bar. Tresoldi then tested Butland with a header from a Seys delivery, but once again the keeper was equal to it. With ten minutes left, the hosts thought they had their second when Gassama finished from close range, but after a VAR review the referee ruled it out for a foul on Mignolet.
Both sides had opportunities late on. Vetlesen fired high and Mignolet saved from Igamane, while debutant Mamadou Diakhon broke forward in stoppage time but was unable to set up Vetlesen. The score remained 3-1, leaving Club Brugge in control of the tie ahead of the return leg in Belgium.
UEFA Champions League – Play-offs (first leg)
Attendance: 40,000 – Ibrox Stadium
Referee: Mr. Francois Letexier (Fra)
Glasgow Rangers: Jack Butland – Max Aarons, Nasser Djiga, John Souttar, Jayden Meghoma (70’ James Tavernier) – Mohamed Diomande (61’ Thelo Aasgaard), Joe Rothwell, Nicolas Raskin – Oliver Antman (70’ Mikey Moore) , Danilo Pereira Da Silva (61’ Hamza Igamane), Djeidi Gassama.
Coach: Russell Martin.
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet – Kyriani Sabbe (73’ Bjorn Meijer), Jorne Spileers, Brandon Mechele, Joaquin Seys – Aleksandar Stanković (85’ Ludovit Reis), Raphael Onyedika (89’ Mamadou Diakhon), Hans Vanaken – Carlos Forbs (73’ Hugo Vetlesen), Romeo Vermant (46’ Nicolò Tresoldi), Christos Tzolis.
Bench: Nordin Jackers, Joel Ordóñez, Cisse Sandra, Gustaf Nilsson, Lynnt Audoor, Hugo Siquet en Shandre Campbell.
Coach: Nicky Hayen.
Yellow: Sabbe, Souttar, Aarons, Aasgaard.
Red: none
Goals: 3’ Vermant (0-1), 7’ Spileers (0-2), 20’ Mechele (0-3), 50’ Danilo (1-3).