Rangers Conclude Europa League Campaign with Loss to Porto

Rangers faced a disappointing end to their Europa League run, suffering a 3-1 defeat against Porto at the Estadio do Dragao.

Early Promise Turned to Ruin

The match started well for the Rangers, with forward Djeidi Gassama scoring just six minutes in with a header. However, their defense soon faltered. A series of mistakes allowed teenage striker Rodrigo Mora, Francisco Moura, and an own goal from Emmanuel Fernandez to turn the tide before halftime, leaving Danny Rohl’s squad struggling. Although the second half saw Rangers perform better, Porto maintained control of the game.

A Disheartening Exit

Prior to the match, Rangers were already eliminated from the tournament. This defeat marked their first loss in nine outings, revealing a regression to earlier season inconsistencies during the first half. The team finished the group stage with only four points from eight matches. Now, they will shift focus back to the William Hill Premiership, where they will face Hibernian at Easter Road on Sunday, aiming to keep within four points of league leaders Hearts.

Tactical Adjustments

Rohl kept an eye on the upcoming match against Hibs, yet his three winter signings—Denmark winger Andreas Skov Olsen, midfielder Tochi Chukwuani, and Belgian defender Tuur Rommens—were unable to participate, along with Nedim Bajrami. To counter this, the Rangers’ manager made five changes to the lineup, introducing Max Aarons, Mohamed Diomande, Findlay Curtis, Gassama, and Youssef Chermiti.

Porto’s Comeback

Despite missing a chance to secure automatic qualification, Porto had only suffered one loss in their previous seven European fixtures. The home crowd was stunned when a cross from Curtis was expertly headed in by Gassama, giving Rangers an early lead.

However, Porto quickly regained control of the match. In the 27th minute, a mishap from Rangers defender Jayden Meghoma led to Mora equalizing from close range. Minutes later, a possible penalty for Porto was checked by VAR but ultimately not called, as Fernandez’s tackle went unpunished.

Rangers’ defensive woes continued, conceding two goals within five minutes close to halftime. Following a mix-up between skipper James Tavernier and goalkeeper Jack Butland, Francisco Moura capitalized to score. Just before halftime, Fernandez inadvertently scored an own goal from a corner, compounding Rangers’ troubles.

Second Half Resilience

Although Rangers attempted to mount a comeback in the second half, Rohl utilized all five substitutes while still looking ahead to their weekend match. In the 63rd minute, midfielder Nico Raskin forced a save from Porto’s keeper, Diogo Costa, but the resulting corner posed no threat.

Butland found himself in a precarious situation inside his own area, though substitute John Souttar intervened effectively. The match concluded with more near misses from Porto, sealing Rangers’ exit from the tournament.