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

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 centre 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