MINDLESS in Malmo. Inexplicable at Ibrox.

Rangers paid the price for their dodgy defending and will now count the cost of a Champions League exit.

Two goals in two minutes last week threatened to take the tie away from Steven Gerrard’s side first time out. On the second occasion, two in five did just that.

This wasn’t the rousing comeback that Gerrard had called for, not how the Premiership champions wished to mark their return to this level of competition after a decade away.

The Europa League awaits for Rangers once again. Given the way they conceded the goals in this tie, the prospects of another extended run look somewhat slim at present.

Three defeats on the spin leave Gerrard facing real questions for the first time in a long time. As he deliberates over the answers, Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side can look forward to their play-off tie.

Gerrard had issued a rallying call to supporters in the aftermath of the loss in Sweden seven days ago. Ibrox delivered, but his players let him down as Malmo won 4-2 on aggregate thanks to a terrific brace from Antonio Colak.

For the majority of the fans that took their seats here, this would have been their first time back at Ibrox since that night against Bayer Leverkusen last March.

Just days later, Scottish football was cancelled and the nation was put into lockdown. What should have been a special occasion turned into one to forget.

The trials and the tribulations, the heartache and uncertainty were shared across Scotland during those difficult months, but the bonds between Rangers supporters grew stronger in separation as Gerrard’s side achieved the most important success of all.

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The winning of title 55 allowed Rangers to experience nights such as these once again. It was ultimately all too fleeting as Gerrard failed in European action for the first time.

Rangers restored their reputation on the continent during Gerrard’s first three seasons at the helm. Now they will need to wait another 12 months to have a second crack at the Champions League.

By half time, the job was half done. It would never be completed as Rangers capitulated.

The lead on the night ensured that parity had been restored in the tie and the momentum that swung in Malmo a week ago – courtesy of that late, late strike from Steven Davis - was very much in their favour.

They didn’t build on it, though, and even the red card for Bonke Innocent – the midfielder sent off as he collected a second booking for a challenge on Connor Goldson just before the break – wasn’t enough for Rangers.

At that stage, the Swedes would have been happy to get out of the cauldron of noise and have a breather in the away dressing room. It had been frantic, exhilarating stuff at Ibrox and Rangers deservedly led at the break.

That was courtesy of Alfredo Morelos. When Gerrard needed a big moment, his main man stepped forward and delivered, as he has done so often on this stage.

Morelos looked in the mood from the off as he hassled and harried a Malmo defence that was suspect. It wasn’t the Colombian at his best, but he was sharper, both in his movement and his touch, than many would have expected given his lack of action this term.

In truth, he maybe didn’t know much about the goal that gave Rangers the lead, but that didn’t matter as he spun away in celebration and took the acclaim from the Ibrox crowd once again.

The cross from Ryan Kent was delivered into a dangerous area. Morelos was there to win it amongst a sea of bodies and the ball would glance off him and beyond the helpless Johan Dahlin.

Ibrox was rocking, and so were Malmo. The second goal that would have put one step in the play-off round didn’t come, though.

As the fans all around him got caught up in the moment, Gerrard called for cool heads from his side. Every attack, every half chance was greeted with a roar of anticipation but Malmo survived before briefly threatening.

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Veljko Birmancevic saw his free-kick, earned after Allan McGregor handled outside the area, strike the wall. A follow-up from Anders Christiansen was saved at the near post, as was a later effort from Birmancevic as he looked to double his tally in the tie.

The first chance had fallen to Colak as he headed over at the back post and it was at that same Copland Road end, and from a similar position, that Morelos would fire over as Rangers missed their first chance of the second half.

Within seconds, Malmo were level. A neat reverse pass from Birmancevic was collected by Colak as Goldson and Leon Balogun were exposed and the finish from the Croatian was perfectly placed into the far corner of McGregor’s net.

Ibrox was stunned. Soon it was silenced as Malmo completed a remarkable comeback and Colak had his second of the night.

The defending again was lamentable from Rangers. From a throw-in on the Main Stand side, Colak would collect the ball, spin away from Balogun and Joe Aribo and finish emphatically with a clinical low strike.

Fashion Sakala replaced Wright in Gerrard’s first switch. After Morelos had seen an effort brilliantly blocked by Soren Rieks, Ianis Hagi took over from Scott Arfield and Rangers had 20 minutes to salvage the tie.

Anxiety had gripped the home support. As the clock ticked on, it would tighten like a vice as Rangers were left balancing on the Champions League precipice.

Sakala would try his luck with a couple of attempts, but it wasn’t his night and it wasn’t going to be Rangers’ either. Defeat, in the end, was inevitable.

The goal to set up a thrilling finale was never going to come. Rangers looked desperate and hope quickly faded on the park and in the stands.

Rangers ultimately got what they deserved. Gerrard will now count the cost after achieving an unwanted hat-trick at Ibrox.