Glasgow's Ibrox Stadium witnessed a major European upset on Tuesday night as Rangers' Champions League campaign suffered a devastating blow with a 2-0 defeat to Belgian outsiders Club Brugge.
The Scottish giants, fresh from their impressive Europa League final run last season, were left stunned by a disciplined and clinical performance from the visiting side, who secured their first group stage victory in 15 attempts.
Early Setback Rocks Ibrox
The home crowd fell silent in the 31st minute when Club Brugge's captain, Hans Vanaken, capitalised on defensive uncertainty to slot home from close range after a well-worked move down Rangers' left flank.
Despite dominating possession throughout the first half, Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side struggled to break down Brugge's organised defence, with Antonio Colak and Malik Tillman failing to convert limited opportunities.
Second Half Collapse
Any hopes of a Rangers comeback were effectively extinguished just minutes after the restart. Slovakian striker Robert Bozenik doubled the visitors' advantage with a powerful finish that left goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin with no chance.
The Scottish Premiership side pushed desperately for a route back into the game, with substitute Rabbi Matondo coming closest when his effort struck the post in the 65th minute.
Group A Implications
This surprising result leaves Rangers bottom of Group A with zero points from their opening two matches, having previously suffered a 4-0 defeat to Ajax. Meanwhile, Club Brugge now sit second in the group behind Napoli, who face Liverpool later this evening.
The defeat marks a concerning start to Rangers' Champions League campaign and raises questions about their ability to compete at Europe's highest level following the summer departure of key players.
Van Bronckhorst's men must now regroup quickly before facing Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership this weekend, with their next European test against Liverpool at Anfield on October 4th.
