Ibrox fans were shocked as they looked in on their Europa League heroes getting the runaround from Belgian minnows Union SG.
The only consolation was that the scoreline was only 2-0- speaking to Premier Sports after the match Giovanni van Bronckhorst said that they’d have no chance of going through if they repeat tonight’s display.
It was the first European tie in 58 years for the Belgian minnows who had to move the home leg away from their own humble stadium.
Last season’s freakish run of draws and results looked like it had carried through to this season when the draw was made but a feeder club to Brighton that included a summer signing from Accrington Stanley outplayed and outsmarted the highly rated Ibrox stars.
Playing a three man defence that included James Sands looked awkward from the early stages while the new look attack was so powerpuff that Scott Wright looked an improvement when he came on after the second Union goal.
All the hype and spin in the world couldn’t disguise the failings on the pitch with the focus now on Ibrox next Tuesday for a salvage job that will earn a Play Off against PSV Eindhoven or Monaco.
That was woeful, and could have been worse. I can understand why we set up as we did at kick off but the changes Gio made were not going to get us a positive result. A really disappointing night. Things need to be VERY different next week. Kent returning could be vital.
— Dougie (@CF3Loyal) August 2, 2022
Not our night, NOT OUR NIGHT?!? That was absolutely dreadful.
A lot of work to do to turn that around. Bitterly disappointing.
— Scott (@scottmcpherson1) August 2, 2022
Absolutely woeful performance and the manager has to take a large part of the blame. Horrendous tactics that clearly wasn’t working and changes should have been made much earlier. Lose next Tuesday and the pressure on gio will be huge
— Peter Adam (@petera1872) August 2, 2022
Absolute embarrassment of a “performance”
— ???? ???????????????? ?? ? (@johno_xi) August 2, 2022
Should be absolutely ashamed of that performance. Set up negatively and players lacked any real fight.
— Only Team For Me (@OnlyTeamForMe) August 2, 2022
Pish if it’s like this next week I want my £ 60 back
— Nicki Mcclelland (@nickimcclelland) August 2, 2022
Shocking performance, shocking result. Players and manager need to ask themselves questions tonight. If not for McLaughlin, it could have been much worse. Gio got the praise for his tactics in our European run last season, and hopefully he can change it up for the return leg!
— Rob (@bobtap29) August 2, 2022
I thought it went splendidly tonight.
But I did mention to a friend earlier today that the Belgian team had a Notts Forest c.’77 about them. GvB on a shoogly peg by 2nd August. It’s a wee shame but it’s a results business… ,?
I thought they tried their best so not fair to give GVB and the wanger team such a hard time-not very loyal..!!
That was sheer dross,,,not one bit of guts was spilled,,well and truly skelped by a team that’s never played in europe in 45 year,, think selling Aribo has took its first chunk out gios bum,,,
The ‘Rangers’ nearly got what they deserved, fortunate to still have a chance as that match could have been 7-0