RANGERS have overcome far more formidable rivals than the Armenian minnows Alashkert far more convincingly in Europa League qualifying during the three years or so that Steven Gerrard has been in charge.

Yet, this aggregate play-off victory was as sweet as any of their previous successes, the narrow win against Ufa, the nail-biting triumph over Legia Warsaw, the rout of Galatasaray, due to their badly disrupted preparations.

A Covid-19 outbreak in the Ibrox squad this week ruled several key players as well as their manager out of the second leg tie; Calvin Bassey, Ryan Kent, Allan McGregor, Jon McLaughlin, Kemar Roofe, Scott Wright and Gerrard were all conspicuous by their absence in Yerevan.

Robby McCrorie was handed his first team debut in goals. It was, with so much riding on the result, a tough match for the 23-year-old to make his bow in. A lucrative place in the group stages was up for grabs.

The visitors were able, despite not having Bassey, Tavernier, Kent, Roofe and Wright available, able to field a strong outfield line-up.

Nathan Patterson took over from Tavernier at right back and Borna Barisic came in on the left side of the defence. Connor Goldson and Filip Helander completed the rearguard. Ahead of them, Scott Arfield, Steven Davis, Glen Kamara, Joe Aribo, Ianis Hagi and Alfredo Morelos all had vast experience of continental competition.

Still, the presence of youngsters Jay Hogarth, Stephen Kelly, Alex Lowry, Arron Lyall, Cole McKinnon and Kyle McLelland alongside Leon Balogun and Cedric Itten on the bench highlighted the difficulties the away team were wrestling with.  

Rangers’ opponents were limited. But their lead was, after an unconvincing display and narrow 1-0 triumph in Govan last week, hardly insurmountable. With the temperature in the thirties, there were no guarantees they would progress. The 0-0 draw they ground out, then, was an achievement of sorts.   

The evening would have been far more comfortable had Morelos, their record European scorer, shown his usual ruthlessness in the final third. The Colombian squandered two gilt-edged opportunities in the first-half and another in the second. He could easily have netted a hat-trick and taken his tally for the Glasgow giants to 100.  

Still, it was not a night for picking fault with the standard of the showing considering the circumstances. All that mattered was getting the job done and their progress was duly secured. After the disappointment of the Champions League defeats to Malmo, it was reason to celebrate.  

When Goldson rose above Artak Grigoryan, got on the end of a Barisic corner and headed just wide it was an encouraging start for the Scottish champions. It set the tone for an assured first-half performance.

Patterson got forward and had a cross into the six yard box blocked and Morelos forced a save Ognjen Cancarevic with a long-range shot. Their hosts offered nothing in reply.

Rangers should have taken the lead in the 12th minute when Arfield won the ball off Grigorian, played a one-two with Aribo and then fed Morelos. The striker only had the keeper to beat. He fired over the crossbar.

Aleksandr Grigoryan’s side showed that they did pose a threat going forward when a David Khurtsidze pass sent Jose Embalo through on goal. Assistant referee Eduard Gittelmann flagged for offside. But it was a warning Alashkert should not be underestimated.  

Rangers responded to that scare instantly. Patterson saw a cut back into the opposition area deflected out to the feet of Aribo. The playmaker steadied himself and curled an attempt just inside the left post. Cancarevic did superbly to tip it onto the woodwork.

The Serbian came to the rescue of his side in the 31st minute after Arfield had played a defence-splitting through ball in to Morelos. The forward had the time and space he needed to steady himself. He shot straight at the keeper.

The travelling fans inside the 6,850 capacity arena were celebrating six minutes before half-time when Brazilian striker James Santos was shown a second yellow card by German match official Tobias Stieler for taking a sly kick at McCrorie’s head after being beaten to an Embalo flick-on.

It was a nasty challenge which probably merited a straight red card. The Scotland Under-21 internationalist did well to continue after receiving treatment from the Rangers medical staff.  

Spending loan spells at Morton, Queen of the South and Livingston in the past three years has clearly been invaluable for McCrorie’s development. He coped with the outing with great maturity. The clean sheet he kept will have done his confidence no harm whatsoever. He would appear to have a great deal to offer in future.   

Grigoryan made four changes to the side that ground out a goalless draw with Sevan on Monday. Tiago Cameta, Dejan Bolijevic, Rumyan Hovsepyan and Aleksandar Glisic. He clearly had a few choice words to say to his charges at half-time. They were, despite being a man down, vastly improved in the second-half.

Dejan Boljevic outsprinted Arfield down the left flank and whipped the ball in to the Rangers six yard box. Embalo managed to force his way in front of Helander and came within inches of making contact with the delivery. If he had then McCrorie would have been beaten.

Itten came on for Hagi and struck the side netting from an acute angle after being supplied by Barisic. Patterson then found Morelos only for his team mate to volley over. The normally clinical finisher did get an effort on target with six minutes remaining. But Cancarevic denied him well.

Aribo had a long-range shot deflected onto the crossbar in the fifth minute of injury-time. But a goal continued to elude Rangers. Still, their name will be in the draw for the Europa League group stages in Istanbul tomorrow morning and that is all that matters.