Rangers verdict: Ibrox's big Benfica night ends in regret - plenty of heart, but just not enough quality

Ibrox rocked at times but in the end a slender VAR call ends Clement’s European run

A programme from the first clash between these teams in 1948 is set to be sold at an auction for as much as £1500. While the result of their latest meeting meant that no Rangers supporter might consider keeping the matchday magazine from this missed opportunity for posterity, neither should the souvenir edition be consigned to the bargain bins.

Valour should always be worth something after all. Rangers showed plenty of this attribute against Benfica while falling just short of the quality required to produce a result for the ages. The outcome was notable, just not in the way the hosts desired. This was the first time a Portuguese side had won at Ibrox in 13 attempts.

Hampden in the sun? What about Ibrox in the rain? The old place looked stately as two historic forces in Europe locked horns for a berth in the last eight of the Europa League.

Rafa Silva celebrates after his goal helped Benfica progress in the Europa League at Rangers' expense.

An elaborate tifo display before kick-off pointed the way to Dublin – where the final is scheduled to take place in May – and the early signs were certainly promising that Rangers could at least take the next step. That they were ultimately unable to do so is now a matter of record but what should not be overlooked is how close they came and how much energy was expended on a night that might have deserved to be described as epic if certain key moments had gone Rangers' way.

Referee Ivan Kruzliak put a damper on things when he signalled that the VAR check had confirmed Rafa Silva's goal after 67 minutes was indeed legitimate after the far-side assistant referee Jan Pozor had raised his flag for offside. It transpired that the Portuguese midfielder had just stayed the right side of the half-way line before running on to Angel di Maria’s headed pass. In the old days, it would have meant Rangers still needed a goal to progress. But with the 2-2 draw in the first game in Lisbon effectively rendered redundant because the away goal rule is no longer in operation it was a winner-takes-all scenario on the night itself, and for much of the evening it looked as if penalties might be required to separate these two European old stagers.

The green light for Benfica’s goal changed all that – or at least left Rangers chasing the tie. Rafa Silva later went to the bench to request a pair of gloves. Job done? Perhaps. He certainly took the goal well although, yet again, Rangers were the authors of their own downfall after making a meal of a chance that had fallen at the other end following a corner.

Cyriel Dessers took too long to get his shot away, was crowded out and then Benfica broke upfield, just as they had done several times already and would do so again before the night was out. Rafa provided the cool finish. But Di Maria managing to get his head to the ball before John Lundstram could intervene was perhaps the game-changing moment on a night of such narrow margins. He injured himself while providing this assist but someone who has written about growing up with just a tin roof over his head on the outskirts of Rosario has made bigger sacrifices in the advancement of his career. Di Maria watched from where he landed on the sodden turf as Rafa cut across Mohamed Diomande before hitting a reverse shot past Jack Butland in the Rangers goal to put Benfica ahead for the first time in the tie.

John Lundstram's expression says it all after Rangers' 1-0 loss at Ibrox.

There was an agonising wait for the goal to be confirmed. Indeed, such had been the swiftness with which Pozor had raised his flag that there was a degree of expectation around Ibrox that the strike would be chopped off. So the news there was to be no such relief came as the bitterest of blows.

Rangers now had just over 20 minutes – plus additional time – to preserve their European dream. The tall, white-clad figure of Butland was even seen in the Benfica half as Rangers' bid to salvage these hopes became desperate. That potential storyline was indeed a delicious one. The goalkeeper had been left out of the England squad by Gareth Southgate earlier in the day. Scoring to secure extra time for his side in a European clash that had left those inside the stadium and those glued to their TV screens on the edge of their seats – if Southgate wasn’t watching, why not? – would have been an Oscar-winning script.

But this fairytale did not unfold. In truth, no one for Rangers, not Butland or anyone else, came close to scoring in this period, although there were several close shaves while the scoreline remained goalless. It's why this felt like such a missed opportunity.

Lundstram saw a shot saved by 'keeper Antoliy Trubin during these closing stages and there were a couple of moments when the ball evaded outstretched boots. But it was not the constant barrage of the visitors’ goal that the home fans desired. Indeed, Butland was called into more orthodox action when tipping a shot from Alexander Bah past the post with nine minutes left.

What a lick this game was played at. The players deserved acclaim. It was not quite Scotland v Georgia territory but the rain became incessant as the first half wore on and impacted on both sides.

A team of Rangers groundstaff members prodded and poked the turf at half time – it was notable they were more concerned with the half the home team would be attacking following the re-start, when Rangers went straight upfield. 'Keeper Trubin miskicked out of play much to the delight of those in the Copland Stand. The home side's best chance of the night fell for Dessers shortly afterwards after Scott Wright skipped across the sodden turf leaving Portuguese defenders floundering in his wake, almost literally. The striker's shot was deflected wide.

Wright might have been a slightly surprising starter although with Dujon Sterling injured there was always a chance Philippe Clement could turn to the former Aberdeen forward, who hadn’t started a game for over a month. But he looked lively. Another break set up Dessers, but the striker was offside and could not beat the keeper in any case. It was the same story for much of the night. Plenty of heart but, in the final analysis, just not quite enough finesse.