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.
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Rangers stunned Borussia Dortmund, winning 4-2 in the Europa League play-off first leg fixture at the Westfalenstadion on Thursday. The visitors took a 2-0 lead in the first half courtesy of goals from James Tavernier and Alfredo Morelos before John Lundstram tripled the lead early in the second half. Although Jude Bellingham reduced the deficit, an own goal from Dan-Axel Zagadou restored the three goal lead for Rangers. And then, Raphael Gerreiro halved the deficit with a late strike.
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Dortmund had dropped into the Europa League after finishing third in their Champions League group, and as such, would have been among the favourites in the competition. But their 100th game at the Westfalenstadion didn’t go to plan as the Scottish champions raced to a two goal lead before the break.
The opening half-hour saw both sides testing the goalkeepers as Scott Arfield’s shot from the left side of the box was saved by Dortmund keeper Gregor Kobel before at the other end, Zagadou’s free header from a corner went straight to the Rangers keeper Allan McGregor. Marco Resus’ back-heel effort from the byline was cleared off the line by Borna Barisic.
VAR 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.
Three minutes later, Tavernier was involved again as his corner kick was flicked on by Joe Aribo at the near post and Morelos tucked in at the far post to double the lead. Lundstram added Rangers’ third with a super strike from Ryan Kent’s assist. Kent beat Akanji down the left before cutting the ball back for the midfielder on the edge of the box to slot home past Kobel into the far bottom corner.
Dortmund soon pulled a goal back in the 51st minute. Donyell Malen made a driving run into a congested penalty area, with Akanji tapping the loose ball into the path of Bellingham’s on the edge of the penalty area. The Englishman fired the ball home past McGregor into the bottom corner.
It was a night to forget for defender Zagadou as he turned Morelos’ shot into his own net in the 54th minute to make the score 4-1 for Rangers. Initially the goal was disallowed for offside but the replays showed that there was no offside and the goal was given.
Dortmund were not willing to go down yet as they pushed hard to reduce the deficit and eight minutes from time, Guerreiro’s stunning long-range effort went past a rooted McGregor. The German outfit has something to play for, going into the second leg at Ibrox Stadium on February 25th.
The result will go down as one of Rangers’ finest European results and see them take a huge step into the last-16 draw ahead of the second leg.
