Progres Niederkorn 0-0 Rangers (0-2): Scots ease through in Europa League
- Published
Rangers had plenty of the ball in Luxembourg, but struggled to create chances
Rangers will play Danish side Midtjylland in the Europa League third qualifying round after completing a comfortable 2-0 aggregate win over Progres Niederkorn.
After a dominant 2-0 win in Glasgow, Steven Gerrard's side were in control again in Luxembourg, but struggled to create. Their best moment was a Scott Arfield effort which struck a post.
Rangers will travel to Denmark for next Thursday's first leg against Midtjylland, who will play their first continental tie of the season.
If Gerrard's side can get through that tie against seeded opposition, they will still have to negotiate their way beyond a fourth opponent if they are to reach this season's group stages.
Rangers in control despite lack of goals
Ensuring no repeats of Pedro Caixinha's infamous speech from a hedge was the main priority for Rangers in Luxembourg.
And it seemed as though the Ibrox side would capitalise on their pragmatism, when a strong start almost yielded an opening goal from Arfield. However, despite latching on to a piercing through ball and rounding the goalkeeper, the midfield's shot bounced off the near post and was scrambled away from danger.
Soon after, the early promise of attacking intent quickly dissipated as Gerrard's side struggled with the troublesome artificial surface. And although they dominated possession at the Josy Barthel Stadium, Rangers made little use of it in the opening stages.
Against a defensive Progres side, they were forced to attack from distance. Nikola Katic clumsily stabbed at a through ball from James Tavernier midway through the half, then Sheyi Ojo summed up the first-half frustration with wayward 30-yard shot.
The home side came close to opening the scoring on the night with a Emmanuel Francoise glancing header from the corner, but it was Rangers that harboured much of the irritation at half time.
Progres ought to have scared Rangers in to action shortly after the break when captain Sebastien Thill - a scorer in that 2017 humiliation - lunged but failed to connect with a loose ball in the six-yard box, firing high and wide.
Gerrard's side continued to pepper the opposition box with half-chances, as Ojo and Arfield chased through balls and continued to find space against a side that struggled to show any intention of overcoming the two-goal lead.
It was not until the dying moments of the game that Rangers began to look like scoring. Substitute Alfredo Morelos came close when a front-post tap in was intercepted, and Ojo again fired just wide.
Rangers may have preferred a few goals to provide some comfort on the night but, in truth, they never looked as though they may lose control of the tie despite the lack of composure up front.
'Ojo looks a serious player' - analysis
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer Tom English on Sportsound
Rangers were competent. They had a cushion so maybe the intensity wasn't there and they defended a little bit dodgily at times. But Sheyi Ojo looks a serious player. I know we're judging him against sub-standard opposition but he's plenty good enough to cause an awful lot of mayhem in the Scottish Premiership, and he's only going to get better.
Former Scotland striker Billy Dodds on Sportsound
Rangers found so much space but just couldn't capitalise. They had three or four chances at the end of the second half to be really comfortable and up on aggregate, but missed the lot. And that's down to Progres not going all out in attack. They just didn't have he quality to hurt Rangers.