Balogun scores own goal but Rangers keep qualification hopes alive after forcing Brondby to draw

Published: November 04, 2021

Glasgow Rangers hopes of progressing to the last sixteen of the UEFA Europa League ended on Thursday evening following their 1-1 draw with Scandinavian side Brondby on matchday four.

Lyon maintained their one hundred percent record after seeing off Sparta Prague 3-0 in the other group fixture.

Manager Steven Gerrard handed starts to Super Eagles stars Leon Balogun and Joe Aribo and a third Nigerian player in Calvin Bassey entered the game as a substitute in the 81st minute.

Balogun was part of a four-man defence and the versatile midfielder Aribo was deployed as a winger for this one.

Six minutes in, Morelos thought he had given the Light Blues the lead when he headed in but the goal didn't stand as Tavernier's corner drifted out of play.

Despite Rangers in the driving seat in terms of chances created, it was Brondby that took the lead in the 45th minute as Balogun headed the ball past his own goalkeeper Allan McGregor.

From a corner kick, the Nigeria international made an instinctive reaction but he needed more on it to put it the other side of the post, leaving the visitors trailing at the break.

Rangers' equaliser didn't arrive until the 77th minute when Ianis Hagis fired a shot into the far corner after a lovely touch from Aribo in the build-up to the goal.

Rangers, who are third in Group A, level on four points with second-placed Sparta Prague, remain in contention to qualify for the last 32 of the Europa League.

Igho Kingsley

Photo Credit : uefa.com

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