It is now a stage in the season where it is all or nothing for the teams hoping to make it to the group stage of the Europa League, as we head into the second leg of the play-off round of the competition.
One tie that is still in the balance is the one between Alashkert of Armenia and Scottish champions Rangers, as the first leg at Ibrox finished 1-0 to the home team. The pair meet on Thursday afternoon at the Alashkert Stadium in the second leg.
🎥 REACTION: Steven Gerrard spoke to @RangersTV after today's 4-2 victory against Ross County. pic.twitter.com/0cLQVtfJXD— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) August 22, 2021
🎥 REACTION: Steven Gerrard spoke to @RangersTV after today's 4-2 victory against Ross County. pic.twitter.com/0cLQVtfJXD
Alashkert will not be too disappointed by the first leg result, as they are still in the tie. However, what will be disappointing for the team from the country’s capital is that they have lost their opening two league matches.
Like Rangers, the home team kicked off the campaign in the Champions League, only to suffer elimination at the second qualifying round stage.
They also needed extra time to see off the threat of Kazakhstan’s Kairat in the last round of this competition.
Rangers were still reeling from their Champions League exit at the hands of Malmo when they won the first leg. Since then, the Scottish champions have also recorded a 4-2 win at Ross County. The win means the visitors have won two of their three SPL games so far this season.
Rangers have a decent recent record in the Europa League, as they made it to the last-16 last season, only to suffer a 3-1 aggregate defeat against Czech Republic outfit Slavia Prague.
The Scottish champions have suffered just one defeat in their last 14 matches in European football’s secondary competition, recording a respectable ten victories in the process.
The visitors are also unbeaten in seven away games in the competition, having recorded five wins.
Forebet predicts that Rangers will record another victory in a low-scoring encounter to book their place in the group stages of the Europa League.