Rangers 3-0 Union SG (3-2 agg.) – Scottish side complete second-leg comeback in Champions League qualifying

Rangers completed a remarkable second-leg comeback against Union Saint-Giloise to reach the play-off round of Champions League qualifying.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side had trailed 2-0 after the first leg in Belgium.

James Tavernier’s penalty just before half-time gave the Scottish side hope, however, in front of a raucous Ibrox crowd.

And goals from summer additions Antonio Colak and Malik Tillman in a hectic second half ensured that Rangers moved into the two-legged play-off.

The first half had appeared to have been fizzling out before a curious handball from visiting defender Siebe Van der Heyden granted Tavernier the chance to convert from 12 yards.

And the right-back duly slotted home his 16th goal in European competition.

It re-energised the home fans, who roared their team back into life with Colak a threat up front.

The Croatia international was signed from PAOK on a three-year deal in July after a productive period on loan at Malmo last year, and showed good goalscoring instinct to draw Rangers level in the tie after Scott Arfield’s shot had been blocked.

There was then drama as James Sands appeared to be shown a second yellow card, but the referee was over-ruled by his linesman, allowing the defender to stay on.

A matter of minutes later, Tillman pounced on an error from Anthony Moris in the Belgian side’s goal to score his first goal for Rangers and set up a meeting with PSV Eindhoven.

The Dutch side survived a thrilling encounter with Monaco that extended into extra-time.

Second-half strikes from Guillermo Maripan and Wissam Ben Yedder had appeared set to send Monaco through, but Erick Gutierrez struck at the last to force the game into an extra half-an-hour.

And Luuk de Jong’s back-post header snatched a 3-2 victory on the night for the Dutch side, who progressed 4-3 on aggregate.

The play-off encounter will reunite former Dutch international teammates Van Bronckhorst and Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was promoted from the PSV youth setup to take charge in Eindhoven ahead of this season.

Elsewhere in Champions League qualifying, 1991 European Cup winners Red Star Belgrade beat Armenian side FC Pyunik 7-0 on aggregate, and will now meet Maccabi Haifa for a place in the group stages.

The Israel club progressed despite a 2-0 defeat to Apollon Limassol by dint of their 4-0 first leg advantage.

Benfica secured a 7-2 aggregate ascendancy with an away victory at Midtjylland, and will now face Dynamo Kyiv.

The Ukrainian capital club played the first leg of their tie against SK Sturm Graz in Poland, and eventually required extra-time to put the Austrian side away after goals from Konstyantyn Vivcharenko and Viktor Tsyhankov.

Qarabag, Viktoria Plzen, Bodo/Glimt, Dinamo Zagreb, FC Copenhagen and Trabzonspor all also advanced.

The two-legged play-off ties will be played on the evenings of 16, 17, 23 and 24 August.