Rangers loss to Ajax sets new low and seals Champions League misery

Ajax secured a Europa League spot after beating Rangers 3-1 at Ibrox on Tuesday to rack up more Champions League misery on the Scottish club.

Ajax finished third in Group A, behind Napoli and Liverpool, and will enter the Europa League qualifiers as Rangers finished bottom after losing all six group matches – the first Scottish side to suffer the fate – and returned the worst numbers in three decades of Champions League group competition.

Steven Berghuis put Ajax in the lead with a missed shot in the fourth minute after being tackled by Mohammed Kudus, who then added a second with a deflected shot in the 29th minute.

Rangers captain James Tavernier pulled one back from the penalty spot four minutes from time for just his second goal of the group stage, but Ajax restored their two-goal advantage through teenage substitute Francisco Conceição two minutes later.

Rangers, who needed to win by five goals to overtake Ajax and take the Europa League place, were mocked at half-time.

They conceded 22 goals in their six group games for a goal difference of minus 20, beating Dinamo Zagreb’s previous worst group comeback in the 2011-12 campaign when they lost all six games and finished with a goal difference of minus 19.

Czech club Viktoria Plzen also lost all six of their games this season on a minus 19 goal difference after losing 4-2 at home to Barcelona on Tuesday.

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