Rangers delivered a sensational 4-1 victory over OGC Nice in the UEFA Europa League, handing the French side their first home defeat of the season. The match, held in the picturesque South of France, was a display of clinical finishing and defensive vulnerabilities, with the Scottish outfit claiming an impressive win that boosts their chances of advancing in the competition.
Both teams came into the match unbeaten in the group, but it was Nice who started on the front foot. Badredine Bouanani came agonizingly close to giving the hosts the lead early on, his powerful strike just missing the target with Jack Butland beaten. Rangers were under pressure, but Butland’s quick reactions, coupled with John Souttar’s timely clearance, kept the score level.
From the 35th minute onwards, however, the game turned in Rangers’ favor in dramatic fashion. Václav Černý opened the scoring with a powerful shot from inside the box, and just three minutes later, Mohamed Diomande capitalized on a defensive mishap, racing through to double the lead. The chaos in the Nice defense continued in stoppage time, as goalkeeper Marcin Bułka was caught out of position, allowing Hamza Igamane to round him and slot home for 3-0.
Nice made a change at halftime, bringing on Tanguy Ndombele, and the French side looked more dangerous in the opening minutes of the second half. But Rangers held firm, with Butland producing an excellent save from Hicham Boudaoui’s long-range strike. That save proved crucial as Igamane pounced on another defensive error from Pablo Rosario, finishing neatly to make it 4-0 in the 54th minute.
With the match effectively over, Rangers manager Philippe Clement made several substitutions to rest key players, and the tempo of the game slowed. Nice pulled one back late in the game, with Bouanani curling home a superb free-kick, but it was a mere consolation as the damage had already been done.
The result marked a historic victory for Rangers, who now have an unbeaten record of six matches in France (W3, D3), and moved them firmly into the play-off spots with three games remaining. Meanwhile, Nice’s defeat left them stranded at the bottom of their group with only two points, leaving their qualification hopes hanging by a thread.
Man of the Match, Hamza Igamane, dedicated his award to a Rangers fan who tragically passed away during the match. The club expressed their condolences and solidarity, highlighting the emotional weight of the victory for the team and their supporters.
