The palpable anger that has characterised recent matches at Ibrox had largely dissipated, but the deep-rooted problems facing Rangers Football Club remain starkly evident. For the first time in months, no protest banners targeted the individuals supporters hold responsible for the current malaise, yet the shadows of former decision-makers still loom large over this Glasgow institution.
Frustration Mounts as European Campaign Falters
While securing their first point of this Europa League campaign offered some consolation for manager Danny Rohl, it's unlikely to be enough to keep Rangers alive in the tournament. The squad assembled under previous football director Kevin Thelwell appears fundamentally unsuited to its purpose, with defensive organisation particularly concerning.
Captain James Tavernier fired Rangers ahead from the penalty spot deep into first-half injury time, drawing level with club legend Ally McCoist on 21 European goals. The spot-kick was awarded after VAR official Pol van Boekel identified a handball by Braga's Fran Navarro that had gone unnoticed by most in the stadium.
Goalkeeper Jack Butland delivered another impressive performance, making several crucial saves to keep the Portuguese side at bay. His strong arm denied Ricardo Horta early on, and he later raced from his line to spread himself effectively against the same player.
Defensive Errors Prove Costly Again
The match appeared to turn decisively in Rangers' favour when Braga's Rodrigo Zalazar was shown a straight red card for needlessly headbutting Nico Raskin after the hour mark. Playing against ten men for the final half-hour should have sealed the victory.
Instead, defender Nasser Djiga committed a catastrophic error that allowed Braga back into the match. His weak, aimless header from a speculative cross fell perfectly for Gabri Martinez, who made no mistake from six yards out.
Djiga wasn't the only Thelwell-era signing who struggled. Striker Youssef Chermiti, facing opposition from his native Portugal, failed to make an impact and has now scored just once in 14 appearances for the club.
An Uphill Battle for Qualification
The situation deteriorated further when Mohamed Diomande received his second yellow card deep into injury time, his second dismissal in European competition this season. Rangers narrowly avoided a fifth consecutive defeat in the tournament, but their prospects look increasingly bleak.
To have any chance of qualification, Rangers now need to beat Ferencvaros, Ludogorets and Porto while hoping other results go their way, potentially relying on goal difference. As the match report noted, stranger things have happened in football - but not many.
This assuredly isn't the European football experience the American owners envisioned when they took control in May. The restorative job facing the club's leadership remains significant and unlikely to be completed quickly, with Thursday's performance demonstrating how far this Rangers team has fallen from the days when they routinely defeated opponents of similar stature at Ibrox.
