Rangers thrash Nice to put one foot in Europa League knockout stage

The Ibrox men returned to form in spectacular style with an impressive victory over the Ligue 1 side.

Rangers thrash Nice to put one foot in Europa League knockout stageSNS Group

Rangers have thrashed Nice to put one foot in the next round of the Europa League.

An impressive 4-1 away victory in France means they now have ten points from their first five games and move up to eighth in the table.

The Ibrox side returned to form in spectacular style with a dominant display against the team sitting fifth in the French top-flight.

With three games remaining, the win all-but secures a place in the knockout stages of the Europa League for the fifth time in the last six seasons.

Rangers blew the Ligue 1 side away with three goals in eight minutes at the end of the first-half.

Vaclav Cerny put them ahead before Mohamed Diomande doubled the lead two minutes later and Hamza Igamane made it three before the break.

The Moroccan forward then added a fourth with his second of the game at the start of the second-half to send a jubilant away end into dream land.

Badredine Bouanani got one back for Nice in the closing stages from a free-kick.

Cerny had the first effort of the game when fired a long-range shot wide of the post following good play by Igamane.

Bouanani had the first sight of goal for the home side that also failed to hit the target.

Nice were then awarded a penalty but the decision was overturned by the referee following a VAR check.

Igamane and Jefte both came close to opening the scoring during a good spell for Philippe Clement’s side before Cerny made it 1-0.

The Czech winger’s shot deflected past Marcin Bułka on the 38th minute.

Then, just two minutes later, Diomande doubled the lead with a delicate chip over Bulka to make it 2-0.

As the first-half neared its end Igamane got on the scoresheet in the third minute of injury-time to give Rangers a 3-0 lead going into the break.

Nice looked to get themselves back into it early in the second-half when Bouanani forced a good save from Jack Butland with a powerful effort.

Rangers continued to look dangerous on the counter-attack and Jefte had a shot saved by Bulka soon after.

Igamane added to the lead just before the hour-mark when he jinked past the Nice right-back before sending a curling effort into the net to make it 4-0.

The 22-year-old was denied a shot at a hat-trick when he suffered a knock before being replaced by Dessers with 20 minutes remaining.

Bouanani struck a free-kick into Butland’s top corner to get one back for Nice with seven minutes on the clock.

Dessers came close to adding a fifth for Rangers in the last minute but he sent his shot inches wide of the post.

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