Rangers dismantle stunned Borussia Dortmund to make it night to remember

Long before full-time, debate was under way regarding where this sits in an all-time table of one-off results for Scottish teams in European competition. Success for Rangers against Borussia Dortmund is at least a valid part of the discussion. The Rangers contingent inside Signal Iduna Park not only – and quite rightly – partied but realised this was an extraordinary occasion as will be spoken about for some time. Far from stealing victory, the Scottish champions were fully deserving of it; including by the two-goal margin. In fact, there may even be a tiny element of frustration for Giovanni van Bronckhorst that Rangers do not have more leeway ahead of leg two. Rangers will rue the scrapping of the away goals rule.

Dortmund of course have the talent to turn this tie on its head next week in Glasgow. Erling Haaland, who missed this defeat through injury, could be back by then. Still, Rangers clearly harbour no sense of trepidation whatsoever. The spotting of glaring weakness in the Dortmund defence is one thing, capitalising on it in the manner Rangers did here quite another.

When Jude Bellingham curled a fine shot beyond Allan McGregor to reduce the Dortmund arrears to two goals, at 3-1, there was a lingering sense the Germans may complete their comeback and restore a sense of natural order. Rangers were having none of that. Alfredo Morelos, who tormented the home back line all evening, strode forward to restore Rangers’ three-goal lead.

The final goal – of six – in the game belonged to Dortmund’s Raphaël Guerreiro, which changes the complexion of the tie ever so slightly. Rangers, though, must have belief they can puncture Dortmund’s back line when roared on by a capacity Ibrox crowd.

An indication that this may be