THE first goal eased the nerves and the second won the game. The third to secure victory in the tie didn’t arrive for Rangers.

Steven Gerrard’s side will travel to Luxembourg next week with the job almost done and a place in the third qualifying round of the Europa League almost clinched. It should already have been theirs, though.

This 2-0 success at Ibrox – earned through goals in either half from Joe Aribo and Sheyi Ojo – was more than deserved for Rangers. The only regret, the only negative, is that it wasn’t as convincing as it could have been.

The chances of a repeat of their greatest upset are slim, however. Two years on from the humiliating defeat to Progres Niederkorn, Rangers shouldn’t make the same mistakes twice.

There were four survivors from that night in Luxembourg in the squad for the rematch here. Wes Foderingham took a place on the bench, but there were starts for James Tavernier, Ryan Jack and Alfredo Morelos as Gerrard looked to take a significant step towards a tie with Midtjylland.

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The mercury had risen around Glasgow all day but it was the noise levels that peaked at kick-off as the Gers were roared on by another sizeable and vocal home crowd.

Ibrox was expectant and Gerrard knew his players had to deliver, both in terms of the performance and the result. Another struggle was unthinkable.

This side, of course, is a very different one to the inept line-up that Pedro Caixinha fielded just a couple of years ago. There has been a significant upgrade in terms of personnel, but there is a style about Gerrard’s Rangers that supporters have bought into and have belief in.

It was no surprise to see the hosts control the ball during a one-sided first half. The only unfathomable was how their lead was not more commanding after a dominant display.

From the first minute to the blow of the whistle that signalled the interval, Rangers were on the front foot, pressing and probing at the Progres defence.

Some of the moves were too elaborate at times but there were plenty of moments to get the Light Blues fans off their feet before and after the goal from Aribo 20 minutes in.

A couple of half chances early on came to nothing as crosses were swung in and cleared, while Morelos saw strong calls for a penalty dismissed after a strike on the turn appeared to hit the hand of Tim Hall.

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There was a sense that the goal was coming, though. When it did, Aribo produced a touch of class as he collected a Scott Arfield pass and picked his spot inside Sebastian Flauss’ right-hand post.

A neat interchange between the impressive Aribo and Jack set up another chance for Morelos and most of Ibrox thought his strike had found the net as he turned sharply and looked to beat Flauss to his left.

The keeper had made two smart low saves from Andy Halliday efforts, while he pulled off another as Arfield connected with a Tavernier cross and almost scored with a diving header. It was another near, but not quite, for Rangers.

The ball was in the net just before the break but the offside flag denied Ojo – the winger converting after a Steven Davis drive was parried - as Rangers returned to the dressing room wondering just how they had only scored once thus far.

Ibrox didn’t need to wait long for the second, though. Once again, it was well-worked and well taken as Davis played a short corner and Ojo fired the ball beyond Flauss with a clinical strike into the corner of the net. The winger had been quiet at times until then, but that was undoubtedly his most important contribution as Rangers gave themselves breathing space.

The task now was to go and hammer home that advantage and end the tie and there was no let-up in terms of Rangers’ attacking intentions. The killer touch, that bit of quality with the final ball, still lacked at times though.

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The Gers had looked to use the flanks throughout the night but too many crosses were dealt with by the keeper or the first defender as the home crowd groaned in frustration on occasion.

When Morelos narrowly failed to connect with an Aribo cross and then didn’t shoot when the goal seemingly opened up for him, there were similar audible frustrations. Thankfully for the Gers, Progres didn’t have the nous to make them pay for their profligacy.

Gerrard introduced Jordan Jones, in place of Arfield, to give his side a different dimension in the final third and the winger made an immediate impact. A direct, tricky run down the left took him into the box before Adrian Ferino and Tom Laterza combined to fell him.

Ibrox expected the net to bulge seconds later. Tavernier’s record from the spot isn’t flawless, and this was another black mark on it as he struck the post and the ball rebounded to safety.

The Gers captain knew what a great chance spurned that was and he would have breathed a sigh of relief when Allan McGregor made a terrific stop from Jack Mmaee. The striker burst clear of Tavernier through the middle, but McGregor produced when called upon and a scramble minutes later had blue hearts in mouths.

The final minutes followed a similar pattern to the previous 90 as Rangers went in search of a decisive third. It didn’t come for Gerrard’s side but it shouldn’t prove as costly as the last time.