On a night marking his inaugural European win as the manager of Rangers, Danny Rohl found little reason to celebrate.

Even though they secured a 1-0 victory against Ludogorets at Ibrox, Rohl’s team faced elimination from the Europa League, capping off a disappointing campaign on the international stage.

Their European journey, which commenced in July with a match against Panathinaikos shortly after Scottie Scheffler’s triumph at Royal Portrush, came to an end.

Dropping into the Europa League offered no respite for Rangers. Losses to teams like Sturm Graz, Genk, and Brann kept Rohl on the back foot since his arrival in October.

Last night, Mohamed Diomande’s first-half goal extended Rangers’ winning streak across all competitions to seven matches, providing a silver lining for Rohl.

Mohamed Diomande fired Rangers in front shortly after the half-hour mark at Ibrox

This was Diomande’s first goal in the competition since netting against Nice in November 2024

Rangers have now celebrated seven victories on the trot under manager Danny Rohl 

However, the European damage was already done. Advancing to the knockout rounds would have required a near-miraculous feat from Rohl.

But their attention will now turn back to the title race, starting with the visit of Dundee on Sunday. They have bigger fish to fry on the domestic front.

It would have been an incredible act of escapology had Rohl led Rangers into the latter stages of a competition where they have enjoyed such highs in recent years.

That would surely apply tenfold if he can lead the club to the league title over the coming months, but that is now very much the objective.

After he rested the majority of his big hitters in the Scottish Cup rout of Annan Athletic last week, Rangers were restored to full strength for this visit of the Bulgarian champions.

Ludogorets arrived in Glasgow still chasing a place in the knockout rounds. They had already recorded victories over Malmo and Celta Vigo this season with Per-Mathias Hogmo at the helm.

A managerial target for Hearts a couple of years ago, Hogmo was in fairly bullish mood when he spoke pre-match about his team’s prospects at Ibrox.

But Rangers started the game with a good tempo on and off the ball. There was a sense of urgency in their efforts to press Ludogorets high up the pitch.

Jack Butland had to be sharp to deny Petar Stanic from close range in the first half

Youssef Chermiti was the first to have a clear sight of goal when he latched on to a cute dinked pass in behind the defence. He couldn’t apply the finish as his effort was saved by Hendrik Bonmann.

That early zip soon fizzled out for Rangers. Ibrox has often been a cauldron of noise and colour on Thursday nights these past few years. This all felt a bit flat.

Chermiti had another couple of decent moments with the ball at his feet but Rohl’s side were toiling to create anything clear-cut at the top end of the pitch.

You do wonder what kind of effect Andreas Skov Olsen will have on this team. A Danish international with proven Champions League pedigree, he should be involved against Dundee on Sunday.

Ludogorets were growing into the game and twice went close to taking the lead through Petar Stanic. The competition’s top scorer with six goals, Stanic was denied by a point-blank save from Jack Butland.

He also fired one just wide of Butland’s left-hand post midway through the half. Rangers needed a spark to really get them going – and it duly arrived on 33 minutes.

Jayden Meghoma swung in a cross from the left and Ludogorets were never able to clear the danger properly.

The ball eventually fell for Diomande and the Ivorian midfielder buried a left-foot shot low past Bonmann.

It could have been a far more comfortable evening had Bojan Miovski been more clinical

Mikey Moore was looking lively down the right-hand side for Rangers. But, with only a one-goal lead at the break, it was by no means a done deal for Rohl.

Ludogorets had weaved some intricate patterns of play and, led by the excellent Stanic, they continued to cause Rangers plenty of problems early in the second half.

Moore then had a decent chance from a tight angle. He tried to dink the goalkeeper when it looked a better bet to smash the ball low and hard.

It proved to be a night of frustration for the young on-loan Tottenham forward. Shortly after picking up a booking, he was replaced by Bojan Miovski.

The dynamic between Miovski and Chermiti over the second half of the season could be pivotal to Rangers’ title aspirations.

Although both have shown flashes of what they can do in recent months, neither have shown the consistency to nail down the jersey and become the club’s main man up front.

The expectation is that Rangers will still look to sign a striker before the transfer window closes in just over a week’s time.

The Ibrox crowd were growing a little anxious. Rangers worked a good opening on 70 minutes through Diomande, but Miovski was over-elaborate and hesitant when he should really have pulled the trigger.

Mikey Moore could have put the result beyond doubt but fluffed his finish from a tight angle

It was a brilliant piece of play from Diomande, who had completely bamboozled his marker with a sublime turn. The chance was wasted by his team-mate.

Given that he netted a hat-trick against Annan, it was an example of how Miovski is struggling to perform with any great consistency.

Djeidi Gassama then worked a yard of space and fired an effort low, only to see his shot palmed behind by Ludogorets keeper Bonmann.

With a loan move to Kilmarnock in the offing, Findlay Curtis came off the bench and tested Bonmann with a quality strike that was heading for the top corner until the keeper turned it behind.

Fair play to Ludogorets. Hogmo’s side continued to pour bodies forward as they chased an equaliser that would have boosted their hopes of progression.

Butland was tested on a couple of occasions as he sought to preserve Rangers’ first clean sheet in the Europa League all season.

They got there in the end. It was a strange atmosphere. Rohl took the applause from the fans at full-time, yet the reality is that this was a forgettable affair.

There wasn’t a soul inside Ibrox who wouldn’t want to just erase this European campaign from their memory, given some of the depths that Rangers have plumbed over recent months.

The challenge for Rohl, having reeled off seven wins on the spin, will be to carry this momentum into the team’s pursuit of Hearts at the top of the league.