Rangers exit Europa League after draw with Jagiellonia Bialystok
Rangers suffered a humiliating Europa League exit on Thursday evening, falling 3-2 on aggregate to Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok after a 1-1 draw at Ibrox in the third qualifying round second leg, reports BritPanorama.
The result means Derek McInnes remains without a victory in his opening four competitive matches since taking charge, having arrived from Hearts over the summer. His record now stands at two draws and two defeats.
Trailing 2-1 from the first leg in Poland, the Glasgow club needed a positive result on home soil but produced a largely disjointed display that left supporters furious. The defeat marks the latest low point in what has become a deeply troubled start to the campaign for the Light Blues.
Scotland international Shankland gave the home crowd hope 19 minutes in when he converted from the penalty spot to draw the tie level at 2-2 on aggregate, netting his maiden goal for the club since his summer switch from Hearts. The spot kick was awarded after Greek referee Vassilis Fotias consulted his pitchside monitor and judged that former Celtic centre-half Yuki Kobayashi had handled the ball inside his own area.
The infringement came from Daisuke Yokota’s low delivery into the six-yard box, with Kobayashi mistiming his attempted clearance. Thelo Aasgaard went close to doubling the advantage shortly after, firing narrowly wide, while Ryan Naderi also threatened before the interval. McInnes reverted to a flat back four at the interval, bringing on Ross McCrorie for Aasgaard, but the tactical shift stripped Rangers of their attacking momentum.
The Polish visitors seized control and struck the decisive blow on 65 minutes when Anders Klynge delivered a cross that found Prelec unmarked at the far post, with McCrorie appearing culpable as the former Oxford United forward powered a header beyond goalkeeper Ivor Pandur. McInnes introduced Cammy Devlin and Vanja Dragojevic in a desperate attempt to regain a foothold, yet Jagiellonia looked the more assured side throughout the closing stages.
Substitute Bojan Miovski squandered the hosts’ final opportunity two minutes from time, heading Findlay Curtis’s cross wide from just six yards out. Rangers now face Czech side Jablonec, who overcame Latvia’s RFS in their own tie, in the Conference League play-off round next Thursday for a final chance to salvage their European season.
The boos that rang around a half-empty Ibrox at the final whistle underlined the depth of supporter frustration with a club that has now spent heavily on nine summer signings yet failed to win any of its opening fixtures. Pressure continues to mount on both McInnes and the American ownership group led by Andrew Cavenagh, who faced pointed criticism from shareholders at a meeting earlier this week over the club’s recruitment record. A Premier Sports Cup last-16 clash with holders St Mirren at Ibrox on Sunday offers an immediate chance for redemption.
As the pressure mounts, Rangers find themselves in a precarious position, facing not only their next opponents but also the growing discontent among their fans — a poignant reminder of how quickly the tide can turn in football.
