Rangers and PSV play out thrilling draw in Champions League play-off

PSV twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with Rangers in Glasgow in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off.

In a repeat of last year’s play-off encounter, the home side took the lead at Ibrox thanks to Abdallah Sima’s fine strike on the stroke of half-time.

The Dutch side equalised just past the hour-mark when Ibrahim Sangare coolly finished after being found – with the help of a wonderful dummy from Ismael Saibari – by Johan Bakayoko.

Rangers thought they might have won it when substitute Rabbi Matondo completed a fine attacking move to put his side 2-1 ahead in the 76th minute.

But the visitors ensured they will take a draw back to the Netherlands next week as Luuk de Jong popped up with his fifth goal of the season, heading in from Bakayoko’s corner.

“We played against a really good opponent,” Rangers boss Michael Beale told TNT Sports afterwards. “We wanted to set the tie up for next week – we had it where we wanted it, with maybe 10 minutes to go and we had a big chance at the end with Danilo. So we cannot be frustrated.

“We need to get on with the league game this weekend and then next week it is a hell of a game – it’s a straight shoot out. We will go there and have a right go again.

“I thought the front three worked really hard; I thought Cyriel Dessers that’s his best performance for Rangers so far.

“I was delighted for Abdallah Sima with the goal.

“There were moments where I would like us to stay in possession of the ball more but you have to think of the magnitude of the game and the opponent we are playing against. I thought we scored two fantastic goals and we were unlucky not to get a third right at the death there.

“They’re an extremely talented side going forward, everyone can see that – there is both a mixture of real experience in De Jong, and also the wider players are excellent. So defensively, we had to be strong.

“Our disappointment is we kept Jack [Butland] pretty much clean but we conceded the second goal from a set play. But at the other end of the pitch we think we can hurt them and tonight we showed that and we are going to have to show that even more next week.”

Elsewhere, Belgian champions Royal Antwerp secured a 1-0 win over AEK Athens.

Former Tottenham striker Vincent Janssen’s 16th-minute goal proved the difference as the hosts held on despite having Jelle Bataille sent off just five minutes after half-time.

FC Copenhagen will take a 1-0 advantage to Denmark next week after overcoming Rakow Czestochowa in Poland.

Bogdan Racovitan netted an unfortunate goal in the ninth-minute and that settled the encounter.

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