Rangers’ Europa League campaign ended with a defeat to Porto, who advance directly to the round of 16 as a result of this comeback.
It had started very well for Danny Rohl’s side, who already knew there was no chance of progressing, when Djeidi Gassama scored his sixth European goal of the season, heading in a superb cross from Findlay Curtis to give the visitors an early lead.
Rohl had asked Rangers to play the role of “unpleasant guests” and, if not unpleasant, they certainly looked uncomfortable in the first 25 minutes as they comfortably contained their illustrious hosts.
Unfortunately for the Scots, that early good work was undone by costly negligence.
18-year-old local talent Rodrigo Mora, after a brilliant turn away from Nico Raskin to start the attack, hit the ball past Jack Butland as it deflected towards him off Jayden Meghoma.
James Tavernier then got into real trouble while trying to get the ball back to Butland, allowing Francisco Moura the easiest finish to put Porto ahead.
And before the break it was three o’clock when Emmanuel Fernández inadvertently showed his set-piece skills once again by deflecting the ball into his own goal from a near-post corner.
The Rangers never threatened to overturn that two-goal deficit, although the score didn’t seem to become embarrassing either.
In the end, the Europa League ends for Rangers as it began: with a defeat.
