Michael Beale was left frustrated by his “wasteful” Rangers side in their narrow 2-1 win over 10-man Servette in the first leg of their Champions League third qualifying round at Ibrox.
Skipper James Tavernier scored a penalty in the sixth minute before striker Cyriel Dessers knocked in a second eight minutes later with his first Gers goal.
Sam Lammers missed a great chance to make it 3-0 and, just before the break, Servette attacker Chris Bedia reduced the deficit from the spot after the VAR intervened to flag up a Dessers handball.
Servette were reduced to 10 men in the 59th minute after David Douline was sent off for picking up the second of two yellow cards for a foul on Todd Cantwell.
But the visitors defended resolutely and will fancy their chances of turning the tie around in Switzerland next Tuesday night.
Beale said: “We started really well and I thought the energy from the team was really good in and out of possession.
“The desire shown by Nico and Todd before the first goal to go chase a couple of lost causes down was fantastic.
“I felt Borna Barisic had a good night and put some great crosses in.
“Playing with the two nine’s gives you that opportunity that we got when Danilo went across the first post and Cyriel scores.
“At that moment we were in a great place. But after that I thought we were wasteful.
“Then comes the VAR decision for the penalty. I thought it was harsh but that’s the ruling.
“The second half, their keeper made a fantastic save from Sam and Cyriel and we had other moments again where we were wasteful on a night when we played well in my opinion for a long period of time.
“What it does is keep our wits about us. We know it will be difficult going to Geneva. It’s going to be a full house and we’ll see a different game like we always do in Europe.
“I’ll never knock a win in European competition because I know they’re so difficult to come by.
“But as a team, we do a lot of good things and create enormous opportunities and we have to be more decisive.
“I’ll give our forwards [a break] at the moment because they’re new coming into the club and it’s early in the season.
“But if we keep creating chances like that then we have to take them if we’re to put teams away.”
Beale believes there is still more to come from his revamped squad.
He said: “We are not using it as an excuse but 13 players left and nine came in.
“Danilo has trained with his team-mates for four days and has had a pre-season which was all over the shop at Feyenoord.
“We are not the sum of our parts right now but I thought we had more forward running and more energy.
“I thought the front three were exciting and they will get better with each game.”
Servette boss Rene Weiler is relishing the return game.
He said: “The result leaves the door open for the second leg next week.
“It was a tough start for us when we went 2-0 down and they played at a high level but we got a bit of luck with the penalty.
“But overall the first half was balanced. We tried to attack but when we got a red card it was tough but it leaves us with the possibility for next week.”
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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