Gio van Bronckhorst hits 'lucky' Rangers with a truth bomb as gutted boss can't hide frustration

Stunned Gio Van Bronckhorst refused to pull any punches over Rangers' disastrous 2-0 defeat in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier against Union Saint-Gilloise - despite ruing the penalty award on Connor Goldson.

The Dutchman was barely able to hide disappointment on a night when the Europa League finalists served up a dismal display that leaves their Champions League dream in a perilous position. The Ibrox side can count themselves lucky to leave Leuven only 2-0 down on aggregate after goals from Teddy Teuma and Dante Vanzeir. He believes they were harshly treated over the handball awarded against Goldson but insists bigger problems remain.

And the Rangers boss is under no illusions of the monumental task awaiting his side next Tuesday on home turf after the Belgian upstarts bossed the first leg and could have secured a more comprehensive result. But it is now operation rescue at Ibrox after turning around deficits to Braga and RB Leipzig on the road to Seville last season.

Speaking to Premier Sports, the 47-year-old said: "Very, very disappointing, we have so much at stake in this month, qualifying for the Champions League, but the performance, for me, was below par.

"It was hard for us to get in the game, they just dropped deep, it means they were afraid, eventually we didn't do anything with our ball possession, sloppy, not winning the duels, slowly they became better and better, we didn't react well to that.

"We were never really in the game, giving. a lot of transition moments away, we are a little bit lucky it's only 2-0, although, the penalty decision I was surprised at, they gave a penalty, if you have so much at stake, for all the clubs involved, you want to take the right decisions.

"I