Rangers Dominate Viktoria Plzen 3-0 in Champions League Qualifier

GLASGOW, Scotland — Rangers secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday night in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League qualifying round at Ibrox Stadium. The win puts Rangers in a favorable position going into the second leg next week.

Russell Martin‘s side delivered a strong performance following a disappointing 1-1 draw against Motherwell last Saturday. Djeidi Gassama opened the scoring after 15 minutes, curling the ball past Plzen goalkeeper Florian Wiegele after a one-two with Cyriel Dessers.

The home team doubled their lead just before halftime when Dessers converted a penalty, awarded after Oliver Antman was fouled in the box by Plzen’s captain Matej Vydra. Gassama added a third goal in the 51st minute, heading home from an Antman cross, showcasing the duo’s partnership.

Plzen coach Miroslav Koubek commented on the challenge ahead, stating, “We have to be absolutely exceptional to turn this around. Our match in Glasgow was far from perfect.” He recognized that their previous performance against Rangers fell below expectations.

Despite their three-goal lead, Martin emphasized the importance of maintaining pressure. He said, “We play for a football club where you can’t ease off ever.” Following the game, Martin made it clear that the team must keep their focus for the return fixture in Plzen.

Rangers will be without Mikey Moore, Thelo Aasgaard, and Hamza Igamane for the second leg, but Martin suggested they could return for the Scottish League Cup match against Alloa Athletic on Saturday. As anticipation builds for the next match, both teams look to capitalize on the remaining chances.

The match results not only advance Rangers closer to the Champions League play-off round but also set the stage for an exciting second leg in the Czech Republic.