The Champions League’s worst ever team: Rangers 1-3 AFC Ajax
A decimated Rangers side welcomed Ajax to Ibrox for their final group stage match of the year. Without Connor Goldson, John Lundstram, Ryan Jack and Ridvan Yilmaz – who were all in the squad when the home side lost 4-0 to Alfred Schreuder’s men back in September – Rangers were faced with the task of overcoming a five-goal deficit if they planned on playing any European football after the Christmas break. A less illustrious achievement Rangers were hoping to achieve would NOT be becoming the Champions League’s worst ever participant, with the Ibrox side hoping to better Viktoria Plzen’s result to avoid this feat.
But Rangers’ match against Ajax started off in the same way as many of their Champions League games have, with an early goal conceded. A collection of errors would give Ajax a goal in the fourth minute – as James Tavernier struggled to keep up with Owen Wijndal’s run, Steven Berghuis curled the ball around Leon King to send Allan McGregor the wrong way.
With the early goal conceded, all belief was knocked out of Rangers and they once again looked lost against higher-level opposition. A flurry of chances for Ajax had the Rangers defence rocked and it wasn’t long before they added another. Mohammed Kudus would hit the target for the Dutch side as his effort was deflected off the head of King to double the away side’s advantage.
With Viktoria Plzen managing to find the net twice against Barcelona and Rangers hardly laying a glove on Ajax, it looked like a night where the ‘Gers would achieve nothing and this would ultimately prove to be the case.
Rangers were gifted a golden chance to get back in the game with five minutes to play. A mistake by Ajax ‘keeper, Remko Pasveer gave Alfredo Morelos an open-net to slot the ball into, but he only managed to place it wide of the post. A minute later Rangers would finally get their break forward, substitute Rabbi Matondo would earn Rangers a penalty after a challenge by Edson Alvarez. Presented with the opportunity to apply some pressure on the visitors, Tavernier dispatched from 12 yards – but this goal appeared to just be one for his own personal scrapbook as Chico Conceicao went up the other end and added a third for Ajax a minute later.
With zero points and a –20 goal difference, Rangers are officially the worst Champions League team EVER.