James Tavernier laps up Rangers win and reveals he planned where to put penalty opener on eve of game

James Tavernier revealed he knew for 24 hours where he was going to stick the penalty that opened the floodgates on Rangers’ greatest European result of the modern era.

The skipper stepped up to despatch a penalty after 36 minutes to open the door on a stunning 4-2 victory in Dortmund that will have resonated round Europe.

Gio van Bronckhorst’s men tore apart their hosts’ tournament favourites tag to put one foot in the last 16 ahead of next week’s second leg in Glasgow.

And Tavernier got the ball rolling from the spot after VAR had caught hapless Dortmund defender Dan-Axel Zagadou handling the Englishman’s cross in the box.

Tavernier said: “I was waiting for the VAR. When the referee pulls it you obviously think something is going to happen.

“I wasn’t sure if the ref blew the whistle or not when I was standing on the penalty spot. But that’s why I practice on the training ground and make sure I execute them.

“I always know where I’m going to put it the day before - it’s just the way I go about things.”

Tavernier also produced an assist for Alfredo Morelos to knock home the second.

And he told BT Sport: “We are really happy with the result. We know it’s only half way there so we can take the positives out of tonight.

“We are a little bit disappointed to concede the two goals because we put ourselves in a really good position.

“But overall we controlled the game as best we could and limited their chances. I thought we were really effective on the break and got the goals. I’m really happy.

“I thought all the boys performed really well. Those that came on stabilised us to give us the platform we needed. I didn’t see the penalty but that’s the benefit of having VAR.

“It’s another set piece goal as well. We have been