Joe Aribo and Sheyi Ojo on target for Steven Gerrard's side; Aberdeen held in Georgia in Europa League second qualifying round tie
Friday 26 July 2019 14:30, UK
Rangers hope a 2-0 lead will be enough as they look to exorcise the Europa League ghosts of 2017 after missing the chance to kill off old foes Progres Niederkorn at the first attempt.
The part-timers from Luxembourg dished out one of the biggest upsets in Gers' history when they dumped Pedro Caixinha's side out of the competition two years ago.
Goals from Joe Aribo and on-loan Liverpool youngster Sheyi Ojo at Ibrox mean Steven Gerrard's team should now go on and bury those painful memories.
Yet a missed a second-half penalty from skipper James Tavernier was among a host of spurned opportunities that ensure the Light Blues still have work to do in next Thursday's return.
Sam Cosgrove's penalty earned Aberdeen a 1-1 draw against Georgian side Chikhura Sachkhere.
The Dons trailed to a first-half spot-kick but Cosgrove kept his nerve to level midway through the second half in Tbilisi.
Shamrock Rovers came from a goal down against Apollon Limassol to win 2-1, with Lee Grace and Roberto Lopes on the scoresheet. The Cypriot side finished the game with 10 men after a late red card.
Connah's Quay Nomads, who knocked out Kilmarnock in the previous qualifying round, face an uphill task if they are to go any further after losing 1-0 at home to Partizan Belgrade.
Last season's semi-finalists Eintracht Frankfurt won 2-1 away at Flora while Strasbourg came from behind to defeat Maccabi Haifa 3-1 in France.
Torino were 3-0 winners at home against Debrecen while Espanyol comfortably saw off Stjarnan 4-0 in Spain.
Diogo Jota and Ruben Vinagre announced Wolves' return to European football after a wait of 39 years as they defeated Crusaders 2-0 at Molineux.
Striker Jota scored Wolves' first goal in Europe for 14,176 days to put the Premier League side on course in their Europa League second qualifying round first-leg tie.
Vinagre's injury-time goal, after goalkeeper Sean O'Neill's mistake, then added breathing space for dominant Wolves ahead of next week's second leg in Belfast.
