Rangers secured an invaluable victory in their Europa League opener in Malmo as they earned a first-ever win on Swedish soil.

It was a dream and decisive start. Inside 60 seconds, Cyriel Dessers broke in behind, rounded Johan Dahlin in goal, and struck the base of the post from an angle.

Nedim Bajrami was alert and, as the ball rolled perfectly into his path, he gleefully stroked home his first Rangers goal.

Malmo looked rattled, though Isaac Kiese Thelin thought he had levelled when he volleyed an angled free-kick back across Jack Butland. His celebrations were short as the offside flag was raised.

Still, Rangers maintained their grip on the game.

Dessers flicked to Bajrami who, in turn, brilliantly sent Vaclav Cerny clear in on goal in acres of space. He had to score. He didn’t, as the ball flashed just past the post.

That became a theme, glaring missed chances, until late on.

Dessers fed Bajrami racing into the box. It was another glorious chance until, incredibly, it wasn't.

The Albania international, seemingly full of confidence after his goal, inexplicably didn't shoot, reversed it back towards the striker and the chance was gone.

Malmo emerged re-energised after half-time, firing crosses into the penalty area and shots from distance. Yet Rangers stood firm under that pressure.

Anders Christiansen fired over on the run, but that was Malmo's best chance. Few tested Butland at all in truth.

Rangers still continued to threaten and Dessers had another glorious chance to end it but fired high and wide when he had to score from close range.

They got there, though. Substitute Ross McCausland stepped up late on with a crisp, low strike to secure a crucial win that gets Rangers' Europa League campaign off to an excellent start.

This was an impressive and assured Rangers display at this level in a testing, compact environment. They needed a positive start given how tough their draw is and they got it.

The foundation was the opener coming so early. From there, the Premiership side largely controlled things, balancing solid defending with cutting attacking threat.

Crucially, Malmo just couldn't test Butland, particularly during the first half in which the hosts had just two touches in Rangers' box.

Not that this was a defensive display, far from it.

It was a different Malmo for some of the second period. They got their act together, the crowd responded but Philippe Clement's side stood up to that test.

Rangers in truth should have been out of sight long before they got that vital second. Malmo were poor overall and the Ibrox side took full advantage.

The only criticism might be the amount of stick-on chances they didn't take when in fabulous positions. Usually in Europe, those moments get punished.

This felt like a tie from which Rangers required at least a point, given the quality of opposition in their draw.

The win gives them the perfect start and platform to move forward with confidence when they host Lyon at home next.

Rangers manager Philippe Clement: "It could have been perfection if we scored three goals in the first half like we deserved.

"It's not errors. It's part of football. Even the best players in the world do not score with every chance. It is important we create and the players are more decisive.

"I think Ross [McCausland] is a really good example. A few months ago, he did not have any power or any quality with his left foot, but he has been working on that every day. And because of that he scores a very important second goal.

"It's massive for [Nedim Bajrami]. He is just in the building but you can see the influence he has on the way we want to play. He's going to become an important player."