Rangers facing Champions League exit after early collapse against Club Brugge
And further strikes from Jorne Spileers and Brandon Mechele had the visitors 3-0 up after just 20 minutes.
A disastrous start for Rangers 😫
A huge mix-up between the back line, gives Romeo Vermant a chance and he takes full advantage finishing brilliantly 💥
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/UB81M76kIu
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 19, 2025
Brazilian striker Danilo pulled a goal back four minutes after the break and the home side rallied, but the Belgian outfit stood firm.
The return game against Nicky Hayen's men in Belgium next Wednesday will require a huge turnaround, albeit the Govan club are assured Europa League group phase football at least.
Wins over Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzen in previous qualifiers revealed flaws in Russell Martin's new-look Gers side and raised concerns in the stands, as did back-to-back draws to start the William Hill Premiership campaign.
And once again the former Southampton boss incurred the ire of the Light Blue legions.
Russell Martin's side had a nightmare start (Andrew Milligan/PA)
Martin made 10 changes for Saturday's 4-2 Premier Sports Cup victory over Alloa and seven for the visit of the Belgian outfit.
The news that elicited the most surprise was that 19-year-old England youth international Jayden Meghoma, who signed on loan from Brentford on Sunday, went straight in at left-back with Max Aarons preferred to experienced club captain James Tavernier at right-back.
Jack Butland, John Souttar, Mohamed Diomande, Oliver Antman, Djeidi Gassama, and Nicolas Raskin all returned.
Greece international Christos Tzolis, who scored for Greece against Scotland at Hampden Park in March and who has been linked with a move to Crystal Palace, started for the visitors, while former Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet was in goal.
All eyes were on Meghoma, who spent last season on loan at Preston, and he started positively.
Romeo Vermant celebrates his goal (Andrew Milligan/PA)
But a horror mistake by Djiga allowed Tzolis' pass to give Vermant an easy finish which stunned everyone inside the ground.
The Gers fans were coming to terms with the needless loss of a goal when Tzolis' corner from the right was knocked past Butland by the unmarked Spileers from 12 yards.
The boos that rang round the ground intensified when Mechele, making his 500th appearance for Brugge, stepped all too easily in front of Danilo just outside the Rangers box and gave Butland no chance with an arrowed right-footed drive.
Light Blues midfielder Joe Rothwell clipped the outside of a post with a free-kick from 25 yards in the 26th minute.
But it was not the signal for a comeback as Butland brilliantly beat away a drive from Carlos Forbes, with the home defence again split open.
Danilo's goal gave Rangers a lifeline (Steve Welsh/PA)
A three-goal deficit at the break left the Gers support in a state of shock but they got a lifeline when Danilo slid in to convert an enticing cross from Meghoma.
Brugge stepped up the pace and amid a flurry of corners, Butland made a fine from Joel Ordonez.
Gassama's angled-drive skipped inches past the far post before Mohamed Diomande and Danilo were replaced by Hamza Igamane and Thelo Aasgaard.
Gassama had the ball in the Brugge net in the 78th minute but French referee Francois Letexier was asked by VAR to check his pitchside monitor and quickly decided that Mignolet had the ball in his hand before it was bundled into the net.
The Light Blues second-half display was heartening but it was a chastening first 20 minutes which keeps the spotlight on Martin.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
39 minutes ago
- BBC News
Polvara stars for Aberdeen - but will he play more?
At the start of the week, rumours were swirling that Aberdeen midfielder Dante Polvara was a transfer target for Hibernian. Fans on social media were late Thursday, the American was the hero against 10-man FCSB in the Europa League, coming off the bench to spark a comeback from 2-0 down, as Aberdeen drew 2-2 in their play-off first midfielder is a fans' favourite at Pittodrie because of his warm personality, wholehearted displays and ability as a rounded Jimmy Thelin has used him sparingly so far this season, Polvara appearing for a combined 45 minutes as a substitute in Aberdeen's three games before American was introduced on 58 minutes against FCSB and played off the left, scoring a brilliant goal just three minutes later to revive Aberdeen's 25-year-old's performance helped cancel out the defensive mistakes which had undermined the Scottish Premiership side's display for an was a striking cameo which lays down the gauntlet to Thelin to pick him from the start in Bucharest next week. Polvara's 'huge' impact Scoring three minutes after coming on is the dream impact for any substitute, which is what the rangy Polvara it was not just the fact he scored but the quality of the goal ithself which was so impressive. A cross was guided behind him by Adil Aouchiche, and he reacted brilliantly to get to the ball awareness and agility to swivel and hit it first time off his left foot was even better, with the ball kissing the inside of the post on its way Polvara did not stop there. Four minutes later, his pinpoint cross teed up Ester Sokler, whose header went narrowly the death his sheer presence caused havoc in the box and, but for a good save, he might have won it for the American managed two shots, both on target, and created three chances, the joint most of any to Opta, he completed all 19 of his passes and won six of his eight duels, the joint most among Aberdeen players. He was everywhere."Polvara down that left-hand side was such an out ball," Aberdeen legend Willie Miller said on BBC Scotland. "He's a big strong unit. And the goal - he shouldn't be scoring from that position. Facing away from goal and he's able to manoeuvre himself to strike it. "That fired the crowd up and gave them the hope and optimism they could get something out of it."He made a huge difference. The aerial threat, the energy, the quality. He must be in the manager's thoughts to start next week." Will Polvara start the second leg? That is the key question. Polvara's time at Aberdeen has been constantly was sent on loan to Charleston in his homeland a year after signing in 2022, and only on his return did then manager Barry Robson give him a repaid the faith in the 2023-24 season, scoring against both Eintracht Frankfurt and PAOK in the Conference League as he started to become more of a pivotal figure.A hamstring tear last summer completely derailed his season as Thelin took charge, but even then he returned to make enough of an impact to help the team win the Scottish has been deployed as a centre-back, central midfielder, and a winger in his time at Pittodrie - versatility which managers love but which often makes it difficult to nail down a particular Thelin using a 4-2-3-1 system and preferring Sivert Heltne Nilsen and Ante Palaversa in the deeper roles and Aouchiche as the number 10 - along with traditional quick wingers out wide - Polvara starting would mean a change of tack from the Aberdeen was his impact on Thursday, though, Thelin may just be considering it, particularly as he showed he appears to be over his fitness those Hibs rumours surfaced, there were reports, external Polvara is set to be offered a new contract by Aberdeen, with his current deal up at the end of the more games would encourage the much-loved American to sign, as will more nights like Thursday at Pittodrie.
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Jimmy Thelin hails Aberdeen's 12th player after Europa League comeback as FCSB boss makes 50-50 claim
Dons' fightback ensures tie still alive for trip to Bucharest Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Jimmy Thelin was proud of Aberdeen's players and supporters after they fought back from two down to draw 2-2 at home to 10-man FCSB in their Europa League play-off. The tie looked to be slipping away from the Scottish Cup winners when the Romanian champions struck through Daniel Birligea and Darius Olaru either side of a 38th minute red card for Juri Cisotti. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Roared on by a packed Pittodrie crowd, however, the Dons pulled one back in the 61st minute through Dante Polvara before fellow substitute Ester Sokler headed an 89th-minute equaliser to ensure there is all to play for in the second leg in Bucharest next Thursday. Aberdeen's Ester Sokler celebrates as he scores to make it 2-2 against FCSB at Pittodrie Stadium in the Europa League play-off first leg. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group) | SNS Group 'I think the 12th player, our fans, today was the difference that gave us a chance now for the away game to go through to the Europa League,' said manager Thelin. 'I'm really proud of that, how we created this atmosphere, because it's so difficult to get this mentality and to score goals when you're two down. 'I'm really proud of the players and our supporters because it's a difficult task when you start the second half and give that (second) goal away within 50 seconds, but we still have this capacity to never stop believing. 'Of course, the goals we got against us were more about ourselves (mistakes) but they used the situations with top quality, they didn't miss. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We can't give them these chances. I think we learned a lot about ourselves and now we have one week to prepare to do a much better, more stable performance.' Referee Serdar Gozubuyuk shows a red card to FCSB's Juri Cisotti for his foul on Aberdeen's Nicolas Milanovic. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group) | SNS Group FCSB boss Elias Charalambous was frustrated that three of his players were forced to watch from the stand after Montenegrin Risto Radunovic, Ghanaian Baba Alhassan and South African Siyabonga Ngezana were not granted visas by the Home Office. 'I don't know exactly what happened but the only thing that I can say is that things have to be solved easier,' he said. 'We cannot ask for visas five, six days before and then we have no visas. We brought three players here and they had to watch the game. 'This is something that we have to find solutions for, not us but the people that are responsible. The players came here to play. If we knew that they would not play, they would not have travelled. We cannot change the decision now and we have to take it.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
STV News
an hour ago
- STV News
Jimmy Thelin proud of Aberdeen after fightback to draw with FCSB
Jimmy Thelin was proud of Aberdeen's players and supporters after they fought back from two down to draw 2-2 at home to 10-man FCSB in their Europa League play-off. The tie looked to be slipping away from the Scottish Cup winners when the Romanian champions struck through Daniel Birligea and Darius Olaru either side of a 38th minute red card for Juri Cisotti. Roared on by a packed Pittodrie crowd, however, the Dons pulled one back in the 61st minute through Dante Polvara before fellow substitute Ester Sokler headed an 89th-minute equaliser to ensure there is all to play for in the second leg in Bucharest next Thursday. 'I think the 12th player, our fans, today was the difference that gave us a chance now for the away game to go through to the Europa League,' said manager Thelin. 'I'm really proud of that, how we created this atmosphere, because it's so difficult to get this mentality and to score goals when you're two down. 'I'm really proud of the players and our supporters because it's a difficult task when you start the second half and give that (second) goal away within 50 seconds, but we still have this capacity to never stop believing. 'Of course, the goals we got against us were more about ourselves (mistakes) but they used the situations with top quality, they didn't miss. 'We can't give them these chances. I think we learned a lot about ourselves and now we have one week to prepare to do a much better, more stable performance.' FCSB boss Elias Charalambous was frustrated that three of his players were forced to watch from the stand after Montenegrin Risto Radunovic, Ghanaian Baba Alhassan and South African Siyabonga Ngezana were not granted visas by the Home Office. 'I don't know exactly what happened but the only thing that I can say is that things have to be solved easier,' he said. 'We cannot ask for visas five, six days before and then we have no visas. We brought three players here and they had to watch the game. 'This is something that we have to find solutions for, not us but the people that are responsible. The players came here to play. If we knew that they would not play, they would not have travelled. We cannot change the decision now and we have to take it.' Reflecting on the match, Charalambous added: 'The team spirit we showed was amazing. Maybe the red card was unfair for my team but we have to respect it. 'The result could have been better but everything will be decided next week in Bucharest. I believe the game in Bucharest is 50-50.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
