The stunning victory has helped Rangers to take control of the knockout tie and gives them a two-goal advantage going into the second leg at home on February 25.
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Rangers FC head coach Giovanni van Brockhorst was full of praise for his players after his side defeated Borussia Dortmund 4-2 in the Europa League play-off first leg fixture at Westfalenstadion on Thursday. The stunning victory has helped the Scottish side to take control of the knockout tie and gives them a two-goal advantage going into the second leg at home on February 25. James Tavernier, Alfredo Morelos and John Lundstram netted for Rangers with Dan-Axel Zagadou scoring an own goal while Jude Bellingham and Raphael Guerreiro replied for Dortmund.
?️ PRESS CONFERENCE: Giovanni van Bronckhorst spoke to the media after tonight’s victory in Dortmund. pic.twitter.com/Xqt4sRZx7a
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) February 17, 2022
“It’s very difficult to get an away win Europe,’ said Van Brockhorst, “it’s not easy. As a manager this is the first time I have won away in Europe and that shows how hard it is. It is a great night but it’s only a great night if we get through to the next round. We have to get a good performance next week as well in Glasgow.
“We wanted to take a result back with us to Glasgow to get a good game next week. I think we achieved that with the two goal difference we take back. I am really proud of the performance that the players have shown today but we also know that we are only half way and there is still one game to be played.
“To come here and score four away goals in Europe I think is a very good achievement. I am more than happy with the result and also the performance.”
VAR played a crucial role in Rangers’ win as it spotted a handball from Zagadou from a Rangers corner, and after consulting the pitchside monitor, referee Clement Turpin awarded the visitors the penalty. Tavernier stepped up and converted the spot-kick to open the scoring in the 38th minute.
And then, VAR intervened in Rangers’ fourth goal also as Morelos slotted the ball home and the goal was disallowed for offside. But the VAR rightly intervened to overturn the decision and the goal was given.
“We had many games where I have been pleased with the performance and the home game with Sparta Prague was also a good performance. You want to be successful with your club, you want your players to enjoy the games and do well and to get good results.
“I am obviously more than happy for my players but also happy because we represented us really well as a club. We played against a quality side and got a good result and we are on our way to a good game next week at a full Ibrox. I am very happy with the achievement.”
“We worked hard to get the right gameplan,’ said the Rangers boss. ‘We watched a lot of games of Dortmund and we knew they were getting a lot of goals against them lately. I think we prepared the game well and had a lot of meetings on the way Dortmund can play.
“We were prepared technically, but more important mentally. We had the right attitude today to getting a good result. We are as one and we represent this beautiful club and we have to make sure we make our fans proud of the performances we put in and I think today we have done it.
“We have to enjoy the moment but prepare as well for a difficult away day on Sunday as well.”
