RANGERS are on the road again. Time will tell just where, when and how it ends as Giovanni van Bronckhorst leads his side on another continental adventure.
If their Champions League campaign is not to suffer a familiar fate, then Rangers will have to produce a performance and earn a result fitting of the stage at Ibrox.
In the home town of Stella Artois, this was a night that left Van Bronckhorst’s side looking and feeling punch drunk. There can be no hangover next week if Rangers are to avoid another humbling exit from Europe’s premier competition.
A two goal deficit to this Union Saint-Gilloise side is not insurmountable by any means, but the manner of the wretched showing was as alarming as the result and Rangers only have themselves to blame for being in such a difficult position just 90 minutes into their continental campaign.
It was not as embarrassing an evening, but the comparisons with 2008 came to mind. On the back of the UEFA Cup final defeat in Manchester, Walter Smith’s side crashed to a woeful defeat to Kaunas and out of the Champions League.
Now Rangers have just one night at Ibrox to avoid history repeating itself after an outing that was bad, but one which could have been a whole lot worse for Van Bronckhorst.
The weeks and months since the Europa League final have felt like a lifetime for a support who dared to dream and a team who had history within their grasps. Some 76 days after that heart-breaking night in Seville, Rangers returned to European action.
The memories of Malmo are not quite as fresh in the mind, nor as painful to recall. They did, though, serve as a warning to Rangers and they know the perils that await next week.
The Ibrox boss had spoken about the fairy tale story that Union had written last season as they came within touching distance of their moment of folklore. In the end, they had to settle for second place in the First Division and, like Rangers, take to the qualifying round in an attempt to reach the group stages and reap the rewards that come with such an achievement.
The Belgians were the team that Rangers would have hand-picked before the balls were pulled out for these ties but the luck of draw wasn’t kind on Tuesday morning. If progression can be secured at Ibrox, a daunting meeting with Monaco or PSV awaits over the following fortnight.
The Den Dreef Stadium was a compact, quaint arena in which to begin the journey. With their historic home of the Joseph Marien Stadium unable to host UEFA fixtures, Union had to make the short drive from Brussels to the venue that is the base for OH Leuven.
The band in red, white and blue that followed near and far last term and made their own trip here made themselves heard as the clocked ticked down towards kick-off. Once the again got underway, it was time for Van Bronckhorst’s side to let their football do the talking.
Their performance was nothing to shout about, though. After a bright start, Rangers became passive, their three-man defence looking fragile and their midfield offering no support to a forward line that was starved of service for long periods.
A year older and wiser from the Malmo exit, this was a chance to show that they are better as well but the opposition and occasion somehow seemed to inexplicably spook Rangers as they failed on this stage once again.
There were promising signs early on as Borna Barisic came close with a free-kick and Malik Tillman and James Sands forced smart saves from keeper Anthony Moris. Such moments proved fleeting, however, and it was Union who were crisper with and without the ball.
The goal arrived before the half hour mark. Ryan Jack and Barisic were culpable after failing to clear their lines, while Jon McLaughlin cannot escape scrutiny for his weak efforts at blocking a Teddy Teuma strike.
The mistake from McLaughlin would have provoked knee-jerk reactions about his new status as first choice keeper but this was a time for clear heads and calm thoughts as Van Bronckhorst sought to find the solutions to self-inflicted issues at the break.
A handful could have no complaints about being replaced. As it transpired, the same side were given the chance to raise their game to an acceptable level after the restart.
It was uninspiring, lacklustre stuff from Van Bronckhorst’s side, though, and the home crowd rose in anticipation every time Union advanced forward. A Lazare Amani header came to nothing and Bart Nieuwkoop had McLaughlin worried with a low strike that whistled by the near post.
Ben Davies replaced Ryan Jack in the first switch after 66 minutes as Sands shifted sides at the back and John Lundstram stepped forward into midfield. The shape was questionable, but Van Bronckhorst was being let down by his personnel.
McLaughlin saved well from Simon Adingra and Dante Vanzeir in quick succession as Union continued to press for the second goal that would have changed the complexion of the tie.
When Connor Goldson was penalised for handball after a lengthy VAR check, they had their best chance. With a penalty that was as cool as it was composed, Vanzeir made the most of the opportunity as the lead was doubled.
Just minutes later, a wonderful McLaughlin stop denied Yanzeir another on the break. If that had gone in, the tie could well have been beyond Rangers already.
Rangers survived the scare but the damage was done by that point. Van Bronckhorst only has to wait a week to discover how costly it will be and if one journey has come to an end already this term.
