The Beastie Boys and Fight for Your Right (to Party) was the appropriate backdrop after the full-time whistle blew. RB Leipzig and Rangers had been embroiled in a taut encounter which endorsed time-honoured theories about the mundane nature of semi-finals.
The intensity of Leipzig celebrations as Angeliño cracked home a late goal, not at all in keeping with much that had come before, said it all.
Leipzig had huffed and puffed. Rangers were resolute to the point where they will be sore about not returning to Glasgow with parity. But, crucially, the Scottish champions retain legitimate hope of a Europa League final berth. Their exploits at Ibrox in recent times should provide peace of mind going into the second leg.
“We defended and played really well,” said Giovanni van Bronckhorst, the Rangers manager. “We made it difficult for them to create chances. It is disappointing to lose a goal so late in the game but we know what we have to do next week. We know it’s not over yet. They also know it’s not over yet.”
The drawbacks from a Rangers perspective relate to Leipzig’s impressive away form and the sense that the ordinarily prolific Christopher Nkunku surely cannot be as wasteful as was the case here.
“We are not looking forward with fear but with happiness,” insisted the Leipzig coach, Domenico Tedesco. “Ibrox is special and we will be happy to be there.” Does he think Leipzig will have to score in Glasgow? “Yes. But we are able to score.” There followed a devilish smile.
In 16 earlier European matches this season, Rangers had not endured a spell without possession as was the case in the first quarter of this match. Yet for all Leipzig’s control, they failed to create serious opportunity. Nkunku should have done better after the hosts capitalised on a Borna Barisic error and Dominik Szoboszlai rued allowing Connor Goldson to recover after a half chance appeared but Leipzig’s early play lacked cutting edge. Boosted by this bluntness, Rangers duly enjoyed a far more coherent spell.
James Tavernier, the captain, spurned a decent free-kick position moments before Goldson headed a corner over Peter Gulacsi’s crossbar. Leipzig were jolted into action; Tavernier provided a desperate block from Angeliño’s half-volley after a spell of pinball inside the Rangers penalty area.
Konrad Laimer was next to threaten, with a teasing cross from the right which evaded all Leipzig attackers.
This was, however, a pretty drab opening period. Leipzig, not unreasonably, seemed to regard themselves as the superior side but without the kind of ruthless style that would rock Rangers.
Trickery from Ryan Kent almost afforded Rangers a dream start to the second half. Instead, the former Liverpool man’s subsequent shot flew wide. Van Bronckhorst had altered Rangers’ approach during the break, with Joe Aribo now the focal point of the attack with Kent and Wright switching to wider positions. The change was immediately effective, Tavernier seeing a shot at goal deflected for a corner. Nkunku replied, his 53rd-minute blast actually the first time Allan McGregor’s palms had been stung.
With 25 minutes to play, frustration from the home support was audible. No wonder; the sight of Benjamin Henrichs standing on the right flank with arms outstretched as no teammate sought the ball in a scoring position summed up Leipzig’s growing impatience. There was perhaps a broader anxiety, too, for a club looking to win a first European trophy since being founded in 2009. Red Bull’s heavy financial backing brings expectation.
Nkunku, who already has 30 goals to his name in this campaign, was to endure a horror moment 20 minutes from time. The Frenchman did the hard part, shrugging John Lundstram aside before escaping a despairing McGregor dive.
With the goal gaping, Nkunku blazed wildly over from just 12 yards. Leipzig now had cause to fear it might be one of those nights.
Nkunku was profligate again, this time with a back post header from a terrific Angeliño cross. Leipzig appealed in vain for a penalty as Barisic clashed with Henrichs. The Germans needed something unorthodox, which was soon to arrive.
McGregor had done well to tip a Tyler Adams shot over, with Fashion Sakala heading the resulting corner kick away. Enter Angeliño, who strode forward to lash a 20-yard volley through a crowd of bodies and beyond the helpless Rangers goalkeeper. Cue a wild celebration in front of the home dugout. Advantage Leipzig; yet one so slender to keep things very interesting.
