Rangers 1-3 Ajax: Champions League report and highlights as Gers set unwanted record

Rangers have been left with an unwanted Champions League group stage record after a 3-1 defeat to Ajax at Ibrox.

On one other damaging Euro night time for the Light Blues, Steven Berghuis put the Dutch guests head within the fourth minute earlier than Mohammed Kudus added a second within the twenty ninth minute with the house facet, admittedly suffering from damage and suspension, once more trying effectively brief on the elite stage.

Gers skipper James Tavernier scored a late penalty however substitute Francisco Conceicao quickly restored the guests’ two-goal lead.

It meant that – after six Group A defeats out of six – the Govan facet have a objective distinction of -20, the worst-ever efficiency in a gaggle stage, beating Dinamo Zagreb who misplaced all six video games and completed on -19 in 2011-12.

Victoria Plzen additionally suffered six straight losses on this marketing campaign however their objective distinction was one higher than Rangers’, thus it was an embarrassing finish to the primary Champions League marketing campaign in 12 years – and the membership and followers will probably be glad the punishment has ended.

Rangers wanted a 5-0 win over the Dutch facet to drop into the Europa League however even essentially the most fervent Gers supporters dismissed that risk.

Putting collectively a group was a problem itself for boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who had midfielder John Lundstram suspended and 9 gamers injured, together with defenders Ben Davies and Ridvan Yilmaz from the weekend win over Aberdeen.

Left-back Borna Barisic and veteran midfielders Steve Davis and Scott Arfield have been the replacements.

Former Gers defender Calvin Bassey was in a robust Ajax facet which struck first and early to dampen early residence optimism. In the fourth minute, to finish a slick assault down the left, Kudus set up Berghuis to beat Gers goalkeeper Allan McGregor from the sting of the field.

It already seemed ominous for Rangers – McGregor needed to backtrack to seize a Berghuis lob from below his crossbar – however the under-strength residence facet ultimately composed themselves and went in quest of a leveller.

In the thirteenth minute, the overlaying Bassey headed a Fashion Sakala header off the road after good work by winger Ryan Kent to get his cross in from the left.

However, one other lapse in focus allowed Ajax to increase their lead, this time Owen Wijndal the supplier for Kudus, whose deflected shot got here off teenage defender Leon King to beat McGregor.

The keeper pulled off a effective save from Steven Bergwijn minutes later and the primary boos of frustration from the stands got here quickly afterwards when Kudus fired an effort simply large of the far submit.

More muted boos greeted the half-time whistle however there was an try by followers to gee up their facet initially of the second half, though a comeback was extremely unlikely.

Kudus had the ball within the web within the fifty fifth minute following a sweeping transfer however Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg dominated it out for offside after a VAR examine.

Just earlier than the hour mark, Glen Kamara, Alfredo Morelos and Scott Wright got here on for Davis, Antonio Colak and Malik Tillman however Ajax, backed by massive and vociferous travelling assist, remained in management.

A terrific shot on the flip by Arfield within the seventieth minute was tipped over the bar by the under-employed Ajax keeper Remko Pasveer however the nook was defended.

In the 84th minute, Morelos took benefit of a mistake by Pasveer however didn’t hit the goal with the objective gaping.

Moments later, Rangers substitute Rabbi Matondo, on for Kent, was introduced down by Edson Alvarez contained in the field and Tavernier fired within the penalty.

However, Conceicao, solely on the pitch for a minute, fired in from shut vary and referee Nyberg quickly blew his whistle to sign the tip of a marketing campaign that goes down in historical past for all of the fallacious causes for the Glasgow membership.