Abel Ruiz’s winner gives Braga narrow first-leg victory over Rangers | Europe League

Rangers had already become the first Scottish club to reach the Europa League quarter-finals and they hold realistic hope of going one better. They needed a response to the weekend’s crushing setback against Celtic, which effectively ended their title hopes, and did enough to ensure the second leg remains finely poised.

The regret will be that they conceded to Braga’s Abel Ruiz, in the 40th minute, during the only spell when they were truly under the cosh. Otherwise they showed up well in a largely uneventful affair and will consider the Portuguese side ripe to be attacked at Ibrox.

The big encouragement Rangers could hold on to was that they had passed this very test before. In February 2020 they beat Braga twice in the round of 32, winning the away leg with a goal from Ryan Kent. Within five minutes of kick-off he had come close to repeating the trick: it was a beautiful chipped ball from Scott Arfield that created the chance, sending Kent free on the left of the box, but the forward could not quite control with his chest and a heavy touch allowed the goalkeeper Matheus to shovel away. Fashion Sakala’s follow-up was blocked but the episode was of a piece with Rangers’ lively start.

Arfield could not quite locate Sakala after slick approach play by Kent, while James Tavernier’s center was intercepted. Braga were concerned when Matheus needed lengthy treatment as a result of that early intervention and there was little reason, in those early moments, to expect Rangers could not continue enjoying themselves.

Braga were rattled by their visitors’ speed. Glen Kamara, one of three reintroductions to the starting XI on the back of their Old Firm defeat, was hauled over by one centre-back, Fabiano, and then wildly chopped down by another in David Carmo.

When examined, though, Rangers courted danger. A cross from Yan Couto, the Manchester City loanee, caused consternation that led to Ricardo Horta rapping the post. Then the other Horta, his brother André, found the bottom corner via a deflection but VAR intervened for an infringement by Fabiano. In response Sakala blasted over but, five minutes before the break, Braga exposed them critically. A smart right-sided move ended with Ruiz, who got an awkward ball out of his feet 15 yards out and whipped low around Allan McGregor. This time, it counted.

Matheus earned applause for a cheeky dink to get past Arfield’s press 10 minutes after the interval. Rangers had held their own since half-time without particularly getting behind their hosts. Arfield saw a meaty volley blocked after a free-kick had been half-cleared; Braga were hardly overcommitting and there was a sense, by the hour mark, of the scoreline being broadly acceptable to everyone.

A triple substitution just afterwards by Giovanni van Bronckhorst, with Kemar Roofe among those introduced, suggested that might not necessarily be the case but proceedings were now scratchy and tight. In the 71st minute Connor Goldson should have leveled when the Braga defense froze at a corner. He was all alone and, although around 12 yards out, he had to do far better than head wide. It was as close as they came, but the tie is alive.