Rangers recorded their first UEFA Europa League victory of the campaign with a narrow but deserved win over Bulgarian 14-in-a-row champions Ludogorets Razgrad at Ibrox, a result that brought their European journey closer to an end but kept valuable momentum firmly intact.
Mohamed Diomande’s first-half strike, the result of yet another well worked set-piece routine, proved decisive on a night where Rangers dominated large spells without ever quite delivering the convincing scoreline their approach play merited.
While progression from the league phase was already slipping beyond reach before kick-off, Danny Rohl’s side approached the contest with intent, treating the occasion as another opportunity to reinforce standards and rhythm.
The breakthrough arrived midway through the opening period following sustained pressure. A short corner from Thelo Aasgaard caused chaos inside the Ludogorets box and Diomande reacted quickest, stabbing the ball home from close range to give Rangers a deserved lead.
Rohl made seven changes from the 5-0 Scottish Cup win over Annan Athletic on Friday night, but this was very much a first-choice selection, chosen to maintain continuity rather than rotate as they made it seven wins on the bounce across all competitions.
Rangers controlled possession early on and looked comfortable in their structure, though clear-cut chances were harder to come by. Youssef Chermiti spurned a promising opening when he opted to shoot rather than square for Djeidi Gassama, a moment that summed up a frustrating lack of ruthlessness in the final third that has plagued Rangers all season – particularly in Europe.
Defensively, Rangers were not without concern. Jack Butland was required to produce an excellent first-half save to deny Peter Stanic, while a late spell of pressure from the visitors ensured a nervy finish.
However, Rangers held firm once more, recording another clean sheet and demonstrating a growing belief that a single goal can be enough.
The atmosphere reflected the dead-rubber nature of the fixture at times, but one player injected fresh energy late on.
Teenage winger Findlay Curtis, introduced for the final 15 minutes, carried on his impressive recent form, driving forward with confidence and forcing Hendrik Bonmann into a superb save with a curling effort that looked destined for the top corner.
With a loan move to Kilmarnock to join up with ex-Rangers player and coach Neil McCann looming, his cameo may yet give his current head coach something to think about.
Rangers approach play often deserved more.
But the performance highlighted the need for sharper decision-making at speed and a reliable goal scorer, pointing to missed opportunities that could have turned a tight contest into a comfortable win.
A positive was the continued influence of the set-piece work, with credit to Scott Fry alongside Rohl for sustaining momentum.
In the end, Rangers got what they needed: a European win, another clean sheet, and a seventh straight victory in all competitions.
With Porto still to come and coefficient points quietly banked, this was less about survival and more about reinforcement - of habits, belief and a winning rhythm.