Ten-man Rangers prevented a sobering draw at dwelling to Alashkert as Alfredo Morelos’ strike saved them on the right track for the Europa League group stage.
The final time the Armenian champions visited Glasgow in 2018, they had been overwhelmed 3-0 by a Celtic facet who performed 79 minutes with a person quick.
This time, Rangers had John Lundstram despatched off simply earlier than the break.
However Morelos’ second aim in European competitors this season means they take a slender benefit to Yerevan.
Having misplaced dwelling and away to Malmo in Champions League qualifying, and to Dundee United within the Scottish Premiership, the momentum anticipated from final season’s first league title in 10 years was in peril of being squandered.
Nevertheless, Morelos’ reliability on the continental stage places them inside touching distance of the Europa League group stage for the fourth season working relatively than the much less profitable new Convention League.
Each side not solely went into the sport having already parachuted down from Champions League qualifying defeats however on the again of losses within the defence of their home league titles.
Regardless of Friday’s 5-0 Scottish League Cup thumping of Dunfermline Athletic, Rangers supervisor Steven Gerrard returned most of his first selections to the fray.
It was Rangers who created the early probabilities, with Ianis Hagi firing broad and Ryan Kent’s shot clipping the crossbar.
Nevertheless, fellow midfielder Lundstram was despatched off simply earlier than the break for his second yellow card throughout the house of 10 minutes.
It may have swung the momentum in favour of the facet who wanted an extra-time aim to eliminate Wales’ Connah’s Quay Nomads in Champions League qualifying.
As a substitute, the half-time introduction of Scott Wright rather than Kent introduced Morelos extra into the play and the Colombian had an overhead kick cleared from in entrance of aim after which despatched a header simply broad.
When captain James Tavernier’s ball excessive of the visiting defence put Morelos within the clear, it was third time fortunate for the striker.
With Alashkert failing to muster an try on the right track regardless of their man benefit, Rangers ought to head into Thursday’s return leg assured of progress.
The significance of report European scorer Morelos is as soon as once more evident and his winner at Ibrox ought to have tipped the stability in opposition to a facet whose solely two wins in 5 dwelling video games this season have are available additional time.
What they mentioned
Rangers supervisor Steven Gerrard: “We’re in competitions and we’re at a membership the place you possibly can’t afford to be the place we’re proper now. We have to discover our stage and we have to get up proper now.
“The gamers listened to what I needed to say at half-time and we received a response and we went on to win the sport, however we must always have made this sport a lot extra snug than we’ve.”
What’s subsequent?
Rangers journey to face struggling Ross County within the Scottish Premiership on Sunday (15:00 BST) .
Line-ups
Rangers
Formation 4-3-3
1McGregor
2Tavernier5Helander6Goldson3Bassey
10Davis4Lundstram17Aribo
7Hagi20Morelos14Kent
1McGregor2Tavernier5Helander6Goldson3Bassey10DavisBooked at 84mins4LundstramBooked at 43mins17AriboSubstituted forArfieldat 81′minutesBooked at 90mins7HagiSubstituted forKellyat 90+5′minutes20MorelosSubstituted forIttenat 83′minutes14KentSubstituted forWrightat 45′minutes
Substitutes
11Itten15Simpson16Patterson23Wright26Balogun27Kelly28McCrorie31Barisic33McLaughlin37Arfield
Alashkert
Formation 4-3-2-1
22Cancarevic
5Kadio2Coelho Andrade3Voskanyan33Boljevic
21Grigoryan9Hovsepyan27Khurtsidze
88Santos das Neves70Papikyan
20Djialo Embalo
22Cancarevic5Kadio2Coelho Andrade3Voskanyan33BoljevicBooked at 16mins21Grigoryan9Hovsepyan27KhurtsidzeSubstituted forGlisicat 80′minutes88Santos das NevesBooked at 73minsSubstituted forYedigaryanat 75′minutes70PapikyanSubstituted forGomeat 8′minutesBooked at 59minsSubstituted forBezecourtat 75′minutes20Djialo Embalo
Substitutes
7Gome10Glisic16Bezecourt17Yedigaryan77Aghekyan99Tankov
Referee:Anastasios Sidiropoulos
