‘Make Us Dream’ pleaded the fans’ banner - well the fantasy is on.
Of course after a year in which Rangers have swung from the ridiculous to the sublime, Gio van Bronckhorst’s side opted to put their fans through the full gamut of emotions.
Delirious inside 70 seconds, overjoyed at the break, concerned as chance after chance went abegging during an increasingly nervy second half before being left scunnered as a momentary lapse brought on an additional 30 minutes only Braga were happy to see.
In the end it was more relief than joy as Kemar Roofe fired the precious winner which propels the Scottish champions into the Europa League last four.
But once the heartbeats settle, the Ibrox faithful will be able to look back and savour a night which ensures a season threatening to unravel may yet just have a few more thrills and spills to come.
“Ibrox, baby! It's just different!” grinned Ianis Hagi last time Braga ventured into the cacophonous Govan cauldron.
They went about it in a different manner but the final outcome will be painfully familiar for Carlos Carvalhal’s team.
Last time, it was Rangers’ Romanian ace who single-handedly dragged his side back into the tie.
This time it was a collective effort for the Light Blues to fight their way through to a first European final in 14 years.
James Tavernier fired a precious double to move himself into third place behind Alfredo Morelos and Ally McCoist in the club’s list of Euro scorers.
Roofe refused to let repeated disappointments in front of goal put him off as he popped up just when his team needed him to grab the extra-time winner and hush all those who said he couldn’t fill Morelos’ shooting boots.
Joe Aribo, who at times has looked out on his feet at times since returning from the African Cup of Nations dug deep into his energy reserves to put on a display which reminded you why he was being talked of a player of the year candidate before Christmas.
It might have been a trickier night had Carvalhal’s team kept XI on the park but then it was no surprise to see Vítor Tormena and Iuri Medeiros lose their heads amid the frenzy that only Ibrox can create on of these special European nights.
The Ibrox faithful also got to see what Aaron Ramsey could do when the Euro pressure was on at last.
The on-loan Juve ace was signed for exactly these kind of momentous occasions in mind, when his top-level quality and years of experience on the biggest stages could give Gers the edge.
But a grand total of four minutes of Europa League action wasn’t the contribution the rain-soaked punters had in mind when they braved a deadline day downpour to welcome him to Glasgow back in January.
The fitness issues that prevented his Turin paymasters from extracting full value from those eye-watering £120,000-a-week wages unfortunately shadowed him on the flight from Italy.
He even admitted in his pre-match interview with BT Sport he’s still not 100 per cent fit.
But the calmness, the composure, the little touches under pressure remain as sharp as ever.
It was those attributes which ensured Rangers could keep the foot on Braga’s jugular in an opening half in which they barely let their Portuguese rivals grab a breath.
Borna Barisic was also back in for his biggest start in two months.
It’s been a perplexing season for the Croatian, who has suffered a fall from grace every bit as swift as the dramatic league collapse his team has been dragged through.
But charged with covering a flank which had been such a problem last week in Portugal, not only did Barisic stand strong, he forced Braga back.
You could see within seconds that the balance of power down Rangers left side had swung in their favour straight from kick-off and it was Barisic’s ball which brought the opener inside barely a minute.
Carlos Carvalhal has had plenty to say in the build-up to this one. In fairness to the former Sheffield United and Swansea boss he’s been a journalist's dream, taking up every invite to give his views.
But here he was stunned into silence.
VAR - so often Rangers’ friend this season - prevented it from being an even more catastrophic start as hit pulled up Barisic for handball after he put in another dream delivery for Roofe to score five minutes in.
The striker then hit the bar from close range but there was no respite, no reprieve during a breathless opening half in which Braga were left gulping for air.
But just as the visitors were hoping to dart back to the sanctuary of their dressing room without suffering further damage, Tormena’s insane decision to drag down Roofe as the striker scampered into the box saw Ibrox erupt in yet another crazy mass of limbs and cheers.
As Tormena’s trudged towards the tunnel having been sent-off, Tavernier slotted home the penalty which should have seen Van Bronckhorst’s men plant one foot in the last four.
A third would have removed the tension which continued to fill the air - but it wouldn’t come.
The nerves proved well founded as Carmo got ahead of Goldson to head the 10-men level on aggregate and send the tie to extra-time.
But the rollercoaster night finished on a high as Roofe grabbed the winner.
