ALLY McCOIST admitted it was a bitterly disappointing night for Rangers as they crashed out if the Champions League to Malmo.

Steven Gerrard’s side levelled the tie thanks to an early goal from Alfredo Morelos, but a double from Croatian striker Antonio-Mirko Colak sent the Swedes into the play-off rounds of Europe’s elite competition.

Malmo also played the entire second half with ten men after Bonke Innocent was sent off for two bookable offences and McCoist insists it was a chance missed for his former side.

He told Premier Sports: “There is no hiding the fact, it is a massive blow. It is a game where Rangers dominated for 45 minutes and we spoke about how good they were.

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“In the second half they didn't come out with the same intensity, but all the credit must go to Jon Dahl Tomasson and his Malmo side. Fair play to him for keeping the two forwards on as I thought he might take one off and try to sneak it.

“He didn't and they were the better team in the second half. The two finishes from Colak were phenomenal and Rangers can have no complaints.”

Rangers have now lost their last three games and McCoist believes that defensive errors will be the main source of frustration.

He continued: “They do not look as strong defensively. They have been giving up chances. The opening 15 minutes of the second half in both legs of the tie proved fatal for rangers. Some of their defending has been poor.

“As an attacking threat they haven't been creating enough, they huffed and puffed in the second half. At the start of the second half even would have been on at his team to play with the same intensity as they did in the first.

“I don't know if it is a mental thing but when 11 players play against ten they switch off and don’t play with the same energy. That clearly looked like it was the case. 

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“There were four Rangers players who were on the wrong side of the ball at the throw-in for the second goal and got taken out of the game. 

“It was a good finish from Colak but defensively it was very poor. Rangers huffed and puffed when they went behind.”

McCoist admitted that Rangers could have done with the financial gain of the Champions League to strengthen their squad.

He added: “Make no mistake it is blow to drop out of the Champions League and they still have to go to either Armenia or Kazakhstan to get into the Europa League which isn't ideal.

“The next big game is Friday night and it is now vitally important. I think he should be concerned and three defeats out of four is not acceptable.

“The two ties against Malmo haven't been good enough and they didn't deserve to go through.”