It’s not a game that will live long in the memory of the just over 37,000 spectators that were inside Ibrox, but the history books will show it as Rangers’ first Europa League win this season.
Mohamed Diomande’s first-half strike was enough to split the sides on a night where, with some better finishing, Rangers could have made it a more comfortable affair.
Attention will swiftly turn to league matters
For so long Ibrox under the lights was a melting pot of noise and anticipation. As Danny Rohl’s side took to the field with their Bulgarian counterparts though, there wasn’t quite the same feverish reaction as there has been in nights gone by.
This was not due to an ill feeling from the fans towards the side, far from it, but rather an underlying notion that there is a bigger prize in the horizon.
Europe has now become something of an unwelcome distraction for Rangers, given that they were rendered all but out after the last round of fixtures, but Rohl knew more than anyone that confidence is everything for his side and one poor performance crack the confidence he has worked so hard to instil.
Alongside the psychological impact of a positive result, vital coefficient points were banked which may prove vital come next season.
Rangers secure first Europa League win
Diomande lifted Ibrox with little over four minutes gone when he caught a ball over the top on his chest and bore down on Ludogorets goalkeeper Hendrik Bonmann. The Ivorian couldn’t quite get it under control though and the stopper did enough to get out and disrupt the attack.
Youssef Chermiti could have had his name up in lights before 10 minutes were played had he been more clinical in the box, a charge often laid at his door this season. Nico Raskin’s delicate clip over the top found the front man in space but his tame effort was straight at Bonmann.
The home side took the lead with 33 minutes gone thanks to Diomande. He looked the most threatening outlet in a blue jersey up until that point and showed excellent composure, after a period of pinball in the box, to take a touch and rifle home the opener.
Rangers started the second half on the front foot with Emmanuel Fernandez and Nico Raskin both attempting effort goal-ward inside the opening minutes.
Mikey Moore should have put the game to bed just before the hour mark, but his close range chip seems not to be struck with enough belief that it could beat Bonmann and instead drifted into his hands.
Ludogorets denied by confident Butland
Sitting 24th in the standings before a ball was kicked, Ludogorets represented a tricky but not insurmountable challenge for Rohl’s men.
Petar Stanic was earmarked early by all observers that he would be the danger man for the Bulgarian visitors. And it was the 24-year-old who had the first moment of note for his side, firing a tester at Jack Butland from range with nine minutes on the clock. The Serbian playmaker did well to work himself into space and didn’t think twice about unleashing an effort. Perhaps an early warning for the home side.
Butland was called into action again on the half-hour mark, again from the lively Stanic. However the flowers went to Yves Bile for a delicious back-heel flick round the corner to create the opening, but the Rangers goalkeeer stayed big to keep the game goalless.
On paper, the Rangers back line of Max Aarons, Nasser Djiga, Emmanuel Fernandez and Jayden Meghoma was absent of any real leader, a commanding voice to take charge. Into that breach stepped Butland, time and again coming up with the big stop needed to bail his side out.
Left-wing audition
The signing of Andreas Skov Olsen is undoubtedly a marquee statement of intent from Andrew Cavenagh and as such will most likely command a starting berth on the right-hand side.
That leaves then both Djeidi Gassama and Moore battling it out for the starting role on the other side. On Thursday night the on-loan Spurs man was moved to the right and Gassama was given the task of operating from the left, the position that most Rangers fan would agree he looks most accustomed to.
Gassama is a player that Rohl appears to place a great deal of trust in following their time together at Sheffield Wednesday, and may have sacrificed parts of his own game this season for the altruistic need of the team.
It was interesting to see then who would impress in the final audition before the inevitable introduction of the 40-times capped Danish winger, Skov Olsen. In the first half Gassama seemed determined to run into blind channels more often than not and late on passed up a glorious chance to double the advantage.
Meanwhile, Moore on the opposite wing, while not at his electrifying best, looked the more creative out of the pair, before being shown a lethal at yellow card.
It will certainly be a decision for Rohl to ponder over in the coming weeks.
Momentum is Rangers’ 12th man
Momentum is Rohl’s 12th man at Rangers currently. He knows there are areas of his squad in which quality is limited, but he is filling those gaps with confidence, and making players believe they can perform in a side greater than the sum of their parts.
The value of seven consecutive wins in all competitions cannot be understated to a side that for so long under Russell Martin at the start of the campaign could not even string back-to-back victories together.
Of course it would be folly to suggest that this run will continue until May, but the mind is a funny thing and as long as these players believe that they can achieve great things, then they may well just do it.
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