PARIS (AFP) – Rangers stunned Borussia Dortmund 4-2 in the Europa League on Thursday while Barcelona had to come from behind to draw 1-1 at home to Napoli in their play-off first leg tie.
In Dortmund, James Tavernier gave Rangers the lead with a 38th-minute penalty after a handball by Dan-Axel Zagadou from a corner.
Three minutes later, Dortmund again failed to cope with a Rangers corner.
Joe Aribo nodded the ball to the far post where Alfredo Morelos was unmarked and scored from close range.
Four minutes after the break, Ryan Kent, who tormented Dortmund all night, found John Lundstram who scored with a powerful strike.
Jude Bellingham replied for the home team with a rasping left-foot shot.
But two minutes after that, Rangers scored again as Zagadou, attempting to deprive Morelos of another tap in, deflected the ball into his own goal.
Pedro Guerreiro cut the deficit with eight minutes left with a ferocious long-range left-footer but Rangers survived without further scares.
“It is a great night but only a great night,” said Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
“We are not through to the next round, which is what we want. We know we have to have a good performance next week.”
Napoli gained a 1-1 draw in Barcelona.
The visitors, challenging for the Serie A title, opened the scoring in the Nou Camp against a home team that is scrambling just to finish in the top four in La Liga.
Polish midfielder Piotr Zielinski ran onto his own rebound to slam the ball home after 29 minutes.
Barcelona increasingly dominated possession but needed one of four penalties awarded for handball by VAR in the Europa League on Thursday to level.
Adama Traore’s cross hit Juan Jesus on the arm after 59 minutes.
Ferran Torres converted the penalty with confidence for his first goal at Camp Nou for Barcelona but his cool deserted him as he hit two good chances over the bar as Barcelona dominated the closing stages.
