Rangers see Malmo take advantage over Helsinki in Champions League qualifier

It is advantage Malmo FF for the right to face Steven Gerrard’s Scottish champions after Rangers’ potential opponents in the third round of UEFA Champions League qualifying met in Sweden on Wednesday night.

Malmo's Croatian forward Antonio Colak celebrates during the UEFA Champions League qualifying match between Malmo and HJK Helsinki (Photo by ANDERS BJURO/TT News Agency/AFP via Getty Images)

The home side took the lead shortly before half-time with prolific Croatian forward Antonio-Mirko Colak converting seconds before the interval with his ninth goal in ten games.

It had been a fairly even even first half where the Swedes held most of the attacking impetus at their Eleda Stadion home but HJK, former club of Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos, levelled midway through the second half through Roope Riski's quick thinking finish on 68 minutes, only for Anders Christiansen to restore Malmo's lead with a free-kick six minutes later.

The sides meet again on Tuesday in Helsinki with the winners hosting Rangers on August 3 then travelling to Ibrox on August 10 in a match that could be worth upwards of £4m as well as Champions League progression.

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