RANGERS manager Giovann van Bronckhorst and the Ibrox club’s fans were keen for VAR to be introduced to Scottish football long before their Europa League last 16 game against Red Star Belgrade got underway tonight.

They will be calling and emailing the SFA enquiring when the technology is being brought in to the game in this country on a daily basis now following events in the first-half of their emphatic first leg triumph.

The Scottish champions scored their opening goal in the 11th minute after Dutch referee Sendar Gozubuyuk reviewed an incident which nobody inside the packed stadium had noticed and gave them an unexpected penalty.

Their Serbian rivals were also denied two goals in the opening 15 minutes after video assistant referee Jochem Kamphuis confirmed that linesman Joost van Zullen had been correct to flag Aleksandar Katai offside on each occasion the winger netted.

The Glasgow giants will, thanks to goals from James Tavernier, Alfredo Morelos and Leon Balogun, take to the field for the second leg in the Rajko Mitic Stadium in Belgrade next Thursday night with a comfortable lead and a place in the last eight firmly in their sights.  

Nobody in Govan will be lamenting how VAR is ruining modern football any time soon.

The rematch with Dejan Stankovic’s men in the notorious “Marakana” will be an altogether more difficult game for Van Bronckhorst’s charges and their progress is still far from guaranteed.

But there was nothing fortuitous about this Rangers triumph. If they perform as well again and Allan McGregor is in the same kind of form they can reach the 11th European quarter-final in their 150 year history.  

McGregor has been criticised for uncharacteristic errors by supporters at times this term and there have even been calls for Jon Mclaughlin to replace him. But in the opening 45 minutes the veteran goalkeeper saved a penalty from Katai brilliantly and produced two vital blocks from Ohi Omoijuanfo.  

Dejan Stankovic’s may have topped Group F to book their place in the knockout rounds. But they were only on target on six occasions in six games and were the lowest scoring section winners. Are they capable of scoring four times in one match? It will take quite a comeback for them to remain in the competition.

Van Bronckhorst made two changes to the side which had drawn 2-2 with Dortmund in their previous European outing last month to complete a 6-2 aggregate triumph; Balogun came in at centre half and Glen Kamara slotted into the centre of midfield as Borna Barisic and Scott Arfield dropped out.

Balogun had been brought on against the German giants at half-time as Van Bronkckhorst moved Calvin Bassey to left back and switched from a back four to a back five. So his inclusion in the starting line-up was expected. But the absence of Arfield, who was not in the match day squad, was disappointing for many inside the ground.

Aaron Ramsey, their marquee January loan signing from Juventus, was once again on the bench.  But this was perhaps not the night to welcome the Welsh internationalist, who has not featured for three weeks due to a minor injury, back in.

Their opponents went into the game on the back of a 16 game unbeaten run in all competitions that stretched back to November when they were defeated 1-0 at home by Midtjylland in the group stages.

Katai had the ball in the back of the Rangers net in just the third minute. Van Zullen had raised his flag when the winger was played through by Mirko Ivanic and a check of the replay confirmed he had been offside. Still, it was a timely reminder what a threat the visitors posed on the counter attack.

Ryan Jack, deployed in the centre of midfield alongside John Lundstram in a 4-2-3-1 formation, tried his luck from long-range, but his attempt went wide. But the home side were soon gifted the chance to net from 12 yards out due for an incident in the build-up to the shot.  

Gozubuyuk was alerted to a foul on Ryan Kent by Slavoljub Smic inside the Red Star area and after watching it back on a pitchside monitor he, to the delight of the majority of the 48,589-strong crowd, pointed to the spot.

Tavernier, the scorer of a double in the 2-2 draw with Dortmund, stepped forward and, despite slipping onto his backside, rifled the ball beyond Milan Borjan and into the top right corner.  

Katai appeared to have levelled just two minutes later after McGregor had failed to hold a cross into his area. But Van Zullen had suspected the midfielder was beyond the last defender when the delivery came in and VAR confirmed his suspicions were correct.

Morelos doubled Rangers’ lead in the 15th minute when Starhinja Erakovic headed a Jack chip to his feet. His powerful volley gave Borjan no chance and took his tally in continental competition to 29.  

Red Star were awarded a penalty seven minutes later when Jack brought down Ivanc clumsily inside his own area. McGregor did superbly to get a hand to a well-struck effort by Katai and keep Rangers two ahead.

Borjan was unable to do anything about an arching Balogun header that nestled in the top right corner of his net in the sixth minute of the second-half after the defender rose and met an outswinging Tavernier corner.

The third goal seemed to visibly deflate Red Star. The only tinge of disappointment that Van Bronkhorst will feel is that Rangers failed to build on their tally and kill the tie off. Hs men had numerous opportunities to do so.

Guelor Kanga hit the crossbar in the 72nd minute and substitute El Fardou Ben Nabouhane had a goal chalked off for offside with five minutes remaining. But Red Star could have no complaints about the scoreline when the final whistle blew.