Rangers Qualify For UCL Play-Off Round After USMNT's Malik Tillman Completes Epic Comeback

USMNT midfielder Malik Tillman scored his first goal for Rangers to seal an epic comeback in their UEFA Champions League qualifier against Union Saint-Gilloise.

Rangers kept their UEFA Champions League dream alive by overcoming a two-goal deficit to knock out Union Saint-Gilloise in the third qualifying round on Tuesday.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side had lost the first leg 2-0 in Belgium seven days earlier but it was always going to be very different at Ibrox.

A James Tavernier penalty started the fightback, before summer signings Antonio Colak and Malik Tillman completed the turnaround in the second half.

Rangers must now beat PSV Eindhoven to reach the Champions League group stage.

If they lose, they will enter the Europa League again, having been beaten finalists last season.

Malik Tillman pictured celebrating after scoring his first goal for Rangers to seal a 3-2 aggregate win over Union Saint-Gilloise in a Champions League qualifier :: IMAGO/PA Images/Steve Welsh

Roared on by 50,000 fans, Rangers started like a house on fire but as half-time drew closer they appeared to be running out of steam.

Then came a gift from Union SG center-back Siebe Van der Heyden.

Van der Heyden produced a totally unnecessary handball and Rangers captain Tavernier converted the resultant spot-kick in the final minute of the first half.

Colak made it 2-0 just before the hour-mark to level the tie and Ibrox was rocking.

James Tavernier pictured celebrating a Rangers goal scored by Antonio Colak (not in shot) :: IMAGO/PA Images/Steve Welsh

Rangers then completed the turnaround 10 minutes from full-time when USMNT midfielder Tillman scored his first goal for the club.

Tillman, who joined Rangers on loan from Bayern Munich last month, headed home from close range after Union SG keeper Anthony Moris had made an awful attempt to catch a Borna Barisic cross.

This angle of Malik Tillman's goal for @RangersFC to send them through to the UCL play-offs is AMAZING! 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/JK9RoPcFWk

— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) August 9, 2022

Union SG ended the match with 10 men after Lazare Amani received his second yellow card in added time.

Scotland has not had two clubs in the Champions League group stage since 2007. 

But Rangers now have just one more hurdle to clear if they are to join Celtic in Europe's elite 32.