RANGERS secured a sensational win over Borussia Dortmund to move into the last-16 of the Europa League.
Gers brought a 4-2 lead back to Ibrox tonight with 49,000 fans hoping they could hold out.
But they did more than that, securing a 2-2 draw on the night with the previous favourites for the competition.
The atmosphere before the game was incredible and waved in and out as the night progressed.
But there was a sense of anxiety too, given the European powerhouses they were up against.
Dortmund looked to come out the traps early and almost took the lead inside five minutes.
Jude Bellingham – who had a superb 90 minutes – hit the post from a corner.
Thorgan Hazard then had a go from distance which Ryan Jack managed to deflect away.
Donyell Malen then had an effort from the edge which flashed wide.
.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}
Most read in Football
.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}
FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS
But Rangers took the lead midway through the first half from the penalty spot.
Great wing play from Ryan Kent down the left who had Barisic bursting on the overlap.
Kent ducked inside across the edge of the box and was tripped by the flailing leg of Julian Brandt.
A stonewall penalty and Tavernier coolly smashed it into the roof of the net down the middle.
Ibrox erupted and Gers looked to be on the ascendency.
But the lead lasted less than ten minutes as the English wonderkid drew the visitors level.
Donyell Malen tried to pick someone out inside the box but played it straight off Bellingham who was left clean through.
McGregor closed the angle but the starlet rolled it into the bottom corner.
Rangers very nearly restored their lead within a few minutes with two huge chances.
Arfield was played in by Aribo but his weak shot was saved, with Kent looking for a tap-in into an empty net.
Dortmund failed to clear and it landed at Morelos 12 yards out who smashed at goal but hit it off Hummels on the line.
Malen then tested McGregor at his near post, with the veteran keeping it out with a strong right arm.
He wouldn’t be denied for long though as he put the away side ahead on the night, just before half time.
A cross in from the right wasn’t dealt with by Goldson or Tavernier.
Brandt picked up the scraps on the left edge of the area and picked out Bellingham racing into the area.
He flicked the ball towards goal and Malen was there, seven yards out to stab it home with the outside of his foot.
They nearly levelled the tie on the stroke of half time too. Malen again at the heart of things, whipping a ball into the area for the onrushing Meunier, who flicked the ball towards goal from ten yards out but saved by McGregor.
Van Bronckhorst made a change at the break bringing Leon Balogun on for Barisic and the Nigerian had a clearance charged down which thankfully flew just wide.
Dortmund had all the ball for the opening few minutes of the second half before Gers almost levelled on the night.
Goldson knocked a long ball over the top which Hummels misjudged and Morelos ran onto it.
He cut inside from the right and went for the near post with a left footed strike, which the keeper tipped wide for a corner.
The Colombian has another chance soon after. Kent cuts in on his right foot and has a strike at goal which is blocked on route.
It spins out to the edge of the box where Morelos brings it down and fires low at goal, saved again by Kobel.
But the equaliser wasn’t long in coming as Ibrox once again went crazy.
Bassey did superbly well down the left to dig a cross out from the touchline.
Hummels made a complete hash of trying to clear it and Tavernier snuck in behind to smash it low past the keeper.
Van Bronckhorst ran into his technical area in celebration as the 49,000 Light Blues supporters raised the roof.
Dortmund created two quickfire chances as they trailed by two in the tie and that deficit should really have been cut.
Bellingham at the heart again, sliding a ball for Reus who evades the slide of Balogun before rounding McGregor but he couldn’t adjust his feet and rolled it wide with the goal gaping.
McGregor’s poor clearance then found Bellingham who played Brandt in before Balogun got back superbly to slide and win back the ball.
Then – the main point of controversy.
Emre Can looked to play the ball back to his keeper from halfway with Kent closing him down.
The German didn’t see Morelos coming, and appeared to kick the back of the Colombian’s leg before going down.
Morelos and Kent ran through on the keeper, with Morelos unselfishly laying it off for Kent to roll home for a 7-4 lead.
Again, pandemonium in the stands as the home side celebrated what would be a tie-winning goal.
The referee went to have a look at VAR and adjudged Morelos to have fouled Can.
Co-commentators Alex Rae and Ally McCoist agreed the decision was ‘scandalous’.
Rangers then hoped VAR would help when looking for a penalty with ten minutes to play but the referee and video team weren’t having it.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
