Rangers paid the price for sloppy defending as they let slip an early Europa League lead to lose 2-1 to Jagiellonia Bialystok in Poland.
Derek McInnes’ first European tie as Gers boss got off to a dream start in the first leg of the third qualifier when home defender Guilherme Montoia turned a Tuur Rommens cross into his own net after just four minutes.
However, Kajetan Szmyt levelled in the 13th minute with a preventable goal to rattle the Light Blues then added a second eight minutes later after more defensive slackness from the visitors.
McInnes brought on Cammy Devlin, Nico Raskin and Findlay Curtis for the start of the second half and the visitors dominated the ball but could not find a way to a leveller, with Curtis crashing a shot off the post in added time, and they will have to turn the tie around at Ibrox next week.
Daisuke Yokota, the winger signed from Hannover, made his debut and he had a few touches before the visitors found themselves ahead early.
Left-back Rommens combined with midfielder Mohamed Diomande down the left and his delivery across the box was missed by striker Youssef Chermiti – but the unfortunate Guilherme Montoia failed to shift his legs and the ball rebounded off him from six yards out and slid across the line.
In the 10th minute Chermiti tested Jagiellonia keeper Slawomir Abramowicz with a long-distance drive and it all looked positive for the Govan men.
However, the Gers’ advantage was negated when Szmyt, with no direct danger imminent, curled the ball towards goal from the edge of the box and it sped all the way through and in at the far post.
There was more Rangers woe when midfielder Thelo Aasgaard’s flick at the edge of the home side’s penalty area was cut out to spark a swift counter.
When Nik Prelec’s cross came into the box, Gers defender Emmanuel Fernandez slipped in front of goal, allowing Jesus Imaz a shot on goal which Gers keeper Ivor Pandur parried but Szmyt reacted first to fire in his second.
In the 37th minute more poor defending, this time by Dujon Sterling in giving the ball away, saw Rodrigo Conceicao race clear but he slashed a shot against the side-netting with options inside. Prelec had an effort parried to safety by Pandur, who made another save from Norbert Wojtuszek just before the break.
McInnes made three changes at the break with Devlin, Raskin and Curtis on for Dan Neil, Tochi Chukwuani and Yokota and the tide changed.
Devlin was set up by Diomande in the 59th minute but was crowded out, before Curtis knocked a Raskin delivery inches wide.
Moments later, as Rangers kept up the pressure, Devlin’s shot from 20 yards was tipped over by Abramowicz but the corner proved fruitless and then, and in the 68th minute, Imaz missed the target from 12 yards at the other end.
Abramowicz saved a Curtis shot and the Gers substitute volleyed a shot against the post amid other near misses in a strong Gers finish, but the job will have to be finished next week in Govan.