UEFA Champions League qualifying: Rangers and Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce out after late drama, red card controversy

Rangers manager Philippe Clement was less than impressed by the controversial decision to send off summer signing Jefte early in the second half, before Dynamo Kyiv clinched a 2-0 victory. Elsewhere, Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce were knocked out in extra-time by 10-man Lille, and there was late drama in Thessaloniki as Malmo came back to rescue a dramatic 4-3 win against Greek champions PAOK.

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Ten-man Rangers were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League as Dynamo Kyiv came away from Hampden Park with a 2-0 victory.

After a 1-1 draw in Poland, the Scottish Premier League runners-up held Dynamo at arm’s length in a cagey opening half.

But young summer signing Jefte was shown a decidedly soft second yellow card five minutes after the interval, and Rangers were fighting an uphill battle from that moment.

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And just as it looked like Philippe Clement’s men were going to hold on for extra-time, Oleksandr Pikhalyonok and Nazar Voloshyn netted in quick succession to all but end hopes of a return to the Champions League main draw.

Clement was understandably furious with the decision to send off Jefte, and was seen holding a less-than amicable summit with referee Marco Guida at full-time.

The Belgian told BBC Sport: “I’ve seen the images back and it’s clearly, totally not even a foul. He jumps higher than the man; that’s everything that happens.

“He’s not moving his arm towards the man or whatever. It’s an incredible decisive decision of this game.

“Everybody who has seen this game saw that we were the better team on the ball against a good Dynamo Kyiv team.”

By virtue of Rangers being in the trickier league path, they will go directly into the UEFA Europa League group phase, without the need for a play-off.

Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce, meanwhile, were knocked out by a 10-man Lille in the dying stages of extra-time.

Jonathan David was the hero for the Ligue 1 side in the 118th minute, profiting from the penalty spot after a handball from Jayden Oosterwolde.

Bafode Diakite put the ball into his own net in the dying stages of normal time to make it 1-0 to the Turkish team and 2-2 on aggregate.

Lille defender Aissa Mandi was given his marching orders for a reckless high foot, catching Irfan Kahveci in the face midway through a tense extra half hour, but David was on hand to seal progression in Istanbul.

Malmo likewise had to put on a dramatic late show against Greek champions PAOK in Thessaloniki, coming back from 3-2 down at half-time to steal a Champions League play-off place.

A helter-skelter opening first period ended with PAOK ahead, 20-year-old centre-half Konstantinos Koulierakis with the pick of the goals from 30 yards.

But Nils Zatterstrom scrambled home an unlikely equaliser with the last kick of normal time and Anders Christiansen rounded the keeper to put the Swedes through in the 99th minute.

Malmo’s reward is a playoff tie against Sparta Prague, as the Czech champions held off a resurgent FCSB of Romania 3-2 to progress 4-3 on aggregate.

There were goals galore in Enschede, with FC Twente falling short of an historic fightback against RB Salzburg, whose 2-1 win in the first leg proved decisive.

The Austrians were 3-1 up on the night by the 46th minute, but goals from Alec Van Hoorenbeeck and Sem Steijn gave the hosts hope of a late turnaround.

It was not to be, and Salzburg will face Rangers’ conquerors Dynamo Kyiv next week.

Qarabag had quite a night to remember in Razgrad, defeating Ludogorets 7-2 to cancel out a 2-1 loss in Azerbaijan.

Elsewhere, first leg winners Slovan Bratislava and Midtjylland held out for draws against APOEL and Ferencvaros respectively to seal their play-off berths.

And there were comfortable aggregate wins for Arctic Circle side Bodo/Glimt and Czech outfit Slavia Prague.

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