Club Brugge copy Rangers blueprint as they take huge step to facing Ibrox side in Champions League play-offs
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CLUB BRUGGE must have been watching Rangers in action before they took to the field for their own Champions League qualifier this evening.
The Belgian side rode their luck and had goalkeeper Simon Mignolet to thank before a goal midway through the second half gave them a huge advantage going into the second leg.
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Romeo Vermant of Club Brugge celebrates his crucial goal
Credit: Getty
Remind you of anything?
...Sounds a lot like when Rangers faced Panathinaikos at Ibrox in the second qualifying round.
The Light Blues withstood some heavy pressure from the Greeks and had to call upon the best of Jack Butland to keep them in the match.
But then up stepped Findlay Curtis and Djeidi Gassama in the second half to give them a 2-0 lead that ultimately proved pivotal in their quest to reach the third qualifying round.
Russell Martin's Gers swept Viktoria Plzen aside by three goals to nil last night and have one foot in the play-off round already.
They have been drawn to face either Brugge or Red Bull Salzburg at that stage and after tonight's game between those sides, it's the Belgian giants who are in pole position.
Brugge, runners-up in last season's Belgian Pro League, won 1-0 in Salzburg thanks to a 74th minute strike from Romeo Vermant.
The striker nipped in front of his marker to steer home a teasing cross from Bjorn Meijer and with the return leg back at their home ground, they will fancy their chances of progression.
Former Sunderland keeper Mignolet made some fine stops early on but his highlight moment came in the 82nd minute when he made a superb double-save to deny Petar Ratkov and then Dorgeles Nene.
If Gers finish the job against Plzen, they will be at home in the first leg of the play-off, which is scheduled for August 19.
Rangers boss Russell Martin's big Tavernier and Raskin calls vs Plzen as he opens up on John Souttar contract
Brugge edged the possession stats and played more passes but it was Salzburg who created more chances, with 20 shots in total.
Earlier on, Chelsea-bound wonderkid Dastan Satpayev smashed in a nerveless 90th minute penalty against Slovan Bratislava to leave Celtic staring at a gruelling visit to take on Kairat Almaty in the play-offs.
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