Luxembourg minnows knock Rangers out of Europa League

Part-timers Progres Niederkorn secure famous win over Scottish side

Progres Niederkorn’s Emmanuel Francoise scored their first goal in the 2-1 win over Rangers in Luxembourg. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Wire
Progres Niederkorn’s Emmanuel Francoise scored their first goal in the 2-1 win over Rangers in Luxembourg. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Wire

Progres Niederkorn 2 Rangers 0 (Niederkorn win 2-1 on agg)

Rangers suffered fresh humiliation as they crashed out of the Europa League following a 2-0 defeat to Luxembourg minnows Progres Niederkorn.

The Ibrox side were hoping to show they had made steps forward after last season’s troubled domestic campaign.

But instead they found themselves suffering another nightmare and a result which will go down as one of their worst ever abroad.

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Not only had part-timers Niederkorn never won a match in European competition before, they had only managed one goal in 13 previous encounters.

But second-half strikes from Emmanuel Francoise and Sebastien Thill means it is they who now march on to a second qualifying-round clash with either AEL Limassol or St Joseph's after a 2-1 aggregate win.

Meanwhile, Linfield claimed a a 0-0 draw away to La Fiorita in San Marino to go through to the second qualifying round in the Champions League, where they will meet Celtic.