It wasn’t an ideal start for Rangers in their Europa League quarter-final as they were beaten 1-0 by Braga at the Estadio Municipal.
A goal from Abel Ruiz was enough to ruin Allan McGregor’s centenary European appearance for the club in the visiting net, and Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side were fortunate to not leave Portugal with a two-goal deficit as Andre Horta saw his deflected effort chalked off for a foul on Ryan Jack by wide centre-back Fabiano.
In a game of few chances, the hosts’ captain Ricardo Horta crashed a shot against the post two minutes before Ruiz would put Braga ahead, as Carlos Carvalhal enjoyed a winning return against a British team.
Fashion Sakala was poor up top for the visitors in the absence of Alfredo Morelos, and the talismanic Colombian was sorely missed as the Zambian forward was erratic in his finishing, slashing a shot well over after he had outpaced and wrongfooted Tormena.
The Gers struggled to get into their attacking rhythm, and one could argue that they were missing the key names of Morelos and Joe Aribo in the final third, with Glen Kamara often outnumbered and outmuscled when attempting to link patterns of play in rare spurts of possession for the Scots.
Neither goalkeeper was really called into action as clear-cut chances were in short supply, and the defensive organisation from the home side meant that their Scottish opponents struggled to break them down: instead forced into laborious building from the back and side-to-sides rather than intricate, penetrative passing through the lines.
Van Bronckhorst’s men were disappointing from set-play situations as well, as captain James Tavernier had a quiet game when it came to dead-ball delivery and overall attacking output. He was forced back well by the energetic youngster Rodrigo Gomes at left wing-back for the hosts, and on the opposite side, Calvin Bassey and Borna Barisic had their hands full with Manchester City loanee Yan Couto.
A disappointing opening leg for Rangers, but with a slender one-goal cushion by way of the Portuguese, they should be confident that the Ibrox faithful will play their part in keeping the European fairytale alive.
TALKING POINT – TOOTHLESS IN ATTACK
In the absence of Morelos, there was no real focal point for the Scots in the final third.
Fashion Sakala was poor, marshalled well by the three home central defenders, but his hold-up was sub-par and he was rightly subbed for Kemar Roofe, who added that presence in the penalty area as his movement caught out David Carmo and Tormena on occasions.
Glen Kamara often found himself isolated and outnumbered by Andre Horta and Ali Musrati in the engine room, and he struggled to piece the Gers attack together as the game seemed to pass him by. The introduction of Aribo was positive, but the Nigerian couldn’t do it all by himself.
Aaron Ramsey was again ignored on the bench: a curious decision when this game would have suited the former Arsenal man down to a tee. Let’s see if he has a say on proceedings at Ibrox.
PLAYER RATINGS
Braga: Matheus 6, Fabiano 6, Tormena 6, Carmo 6, Couto 8*, Musrati 8, Horta 7, Gomes 7, Horta 6, Ruiz 7, Medeiros 6, Vtinha 6, Oliveira 6, Fale 6, Mineiro 6, Castro 6.
Rangers: McGregor 7, Tavernier 5, Goldson 6, Balogun 5, Bassey 6, Jack 5, Lundstram 6, Kamara 5, Sakala 4, Arfield 6, Kent 6, Barisic 6, Roofe 6, Aribo 6.
MAN OF THE MATCH – YAN COUTO, BRAGA
The right wing-back was electric down his flank, exhausting Bassey and Barisic down the Rangers left.
His delivery was good, his workrate and defensive recovery even better, and his link-up with Iuri Medeiros was a thorn in the side of the visitors, who struggled to contain the pair.
What impact will he have on the second leg, though, when he’s forced to defend against a rampaging Barisic and Kent in front of a fired-up Scottish home crowd?
KEY MOMENTS
25′: OFF THE POST! Great chance for the hosts as Ricardo Horta crashes against the post! Poor defending from Rangers as Gomes ghosts in behind Tavernier at the far post to set back the Couto cross, and the captain rattles the woodwork! A huge let-off.
26′: GOALLL!!! Braga are in front! It’s Andre Horta this time, and it was coming after the last few minutes. A couple of opportunities to clear that weren’t taken by Rangers, and a good ball into the midfielder allows him to drop the shoulder, make the space, and it comes off Tavernier and into the far corner. 1-0. // NO GOAL! It’s been ruled out! Wow! The foul in the build-up disallows it thanks to VAR after Fabiano’s challenge on Ryan Jack in the area. Carvalhal is unhappy, but the picture tells the story. Rangers are lucky there.
33′: CHANCE! Sakala breaks away from Tormena, but he hashes a shot way over!
40′: GOALLL!!! There it is, and finally Braga take the lead. Abel Ruiz fires it inside Allan McGregor’s near post, an excellent finish. Balogun gets his feet all wrong and miscues the clearance, and the number nine finishes with aplomb!
78′: GOOD HIT! Andre Horta lines one up from range but McGregor is equal to it as he pushes it around the post.
