Key Takeaways:
- Club Brugge defeated Rangers 3:1 in the Champions League playoff first leg at Ibrox
- Romeo Vermant, Jorne Spileers, and Brandon Mechele each scored within the opening 20 minutes on Tuesday
- Danilo pulled one back in the 49th minute, but Rangers face a difficult task in the return fixture in Belgium
Match Analysis: Early Blitz Gives Belgians the Advantage
Club Brugge produced a remarkable performance on Tuesday evening, taking a significant step towards Champions League group stage qualification by defeating Rangers 3:1 in Glasgow. From the outset, the visitors imposed themselves, scoring three times in the opening 20 minutes and putting the home side immediately on the back foot.
Part one: ππ¨π¦π©π₯ππππ. π₯ Letβs finish this at home. π΅β«οΈβ¨ pic.twitter.com/nITu670ZTs
— Club Brugge KV (@ClubBrugge) August 19, 2025
| Scorers | Minute |
|---|---|
| Romeo Vermant (Club Brugge) | 3′ |
| Jorne Spileers (Club Brugge) | 7′ |
| Brandon Mechele (Club Brugge) | 20′ |
| Danilo (Rangers) | 49′ |
First-Half Collapse for Rangers
The encounter opened disastrously for Rangers, as a defensive lapse in the 3rd minute allowed Romeo Vermant in behind to skilfully loft the ball over the advancing goalkeeper, handing Club Brugge a dream start. Just four minutes later, some slack marking at a corner saw Jorne Spileers volley home a second to further demoralize the Scots.
The early misery for the home side was compounded in the 20th minute when Brandon Mechele took control at the edge of the penalty area and dispatched a precise low drive into the far corner, extending the lead to 3:0 for the Belgians.
Rangersβ Response and Disallowed Goal
After the interval, Rangers found some respite. Jayden Megoma broke down the left wing and delivered a driven cross, which Danilo managed to meet and guide into the net for 1:3 in the 49th minute. The hosts then thought they had further reduced the deficit when Jaydi Gassama bundled the ball home; however, the effort was ruled out for a foul on Simon Mignolet, as the Brugge goalkeeper already had the ball under control.
Implications for the Second Leg
With this impressive away result, Club Brugge have placed themselves firmly in control ahead of the return fixture in Belgium next week. The Belgian side are now strong favourites to progress, while Rangers must overturn a two-goal deficit to keep their Champions League hopes alive.
