Rangers lost to Jagiellonia Bialystok in Poland as their Europa League third qualifying round campaign began with a defeat. Manager Derek McInnes said his side were the architects of their own downfall after watching them crash to defeat in the first leg tie. He lamented his team's tendency to self-destruct during the match.
The Ibrox men made a dream start on four minutes when Guilherme Montoia turned Tuur Rommens' cross into his own net. However, the visitors were dragged level nine minutes later when Manny Fernandez stretched out a leg to direct Kajetan Szmyt's centre past keeper Ivor Pandur.
Jagiellonia moved in front on 21 minutes when Pandur's initial save was fired home by Szmyt. Rangers were brighter after the break but fell to the defeat, leaving them with all to do in next Thursday's return at Ibrox.
"I just felt we beat ourselves, to be honest," McInnes said. "I thought we started the game really well with an element of control. The team we picked was to make sure that their rotations in midfield weren't a problem for us - and they weren't."
McInnes was left to rue horror-show defending from his side following the early lead. "We got off to a good start, a good bit of combination play, being patient with what we were trying to do and putting a bit of stress on their defender to defend the situation," McInnes said.
"And obviously, he scores an own goal and it's a perfect start," McInnes added. "But then we stopped doing what was working for us. We made two mistakes for the two goals."
Managerial Concerns and Squad Changes
McInnes handed winger Daisuke Yokota his debut following his move from Hannover. Yokota is one of nine players signed by McInnes since he succeeded Danny Rohl in the managerial post.
Despite the sweeping changes, McInnes felt many issues seen in Poland were reminiscent of what he witnessed while managing Hearts last season. He expressed clear concern that his team is giving up too many scoring chances to opponents.
"We need to be far more concentrated, far more focused, far more aggressive, far more talkative and organised to stop these types of things happening," McInnes said. "We've seen a lot tonight of what I thought Rangers were last season. I thought they gave up too many chances and gave teams too much encouragement."
"Having watched them, I knew it would be a tough game, particularly here at home, but I still expect us to come here and win the game - and we're disappointed that we haven't," McInnes added.
Domestic Fixtures and Player Reaction
Kacper Szmyt celebrated after putting Jagiellonia Bialystok ahead for the first time in the contest. Rangers now welcome Hibs to Ibrox on Sunday looking to secure their first win of the season before turning their minds to next week's return leg.
Rangers failed to win their opening league match of the season away to Dundee United and have conceded two goals across their first two games. Defender Ross McCrorie admitted the new-look squad must address several issues to produce positive results.
"It was a difficult one to take," McCrorie reflected. "We never quite got the defence right - you saw that in the first half. When they were counter-attacking, we were too vulnerable. They got a couple of chances and they managed to take them."
"I thought the second half was a lot better, a lot more solid," McCrorie said. "We'd a few chances that we didn't take. We've got a few things that we need to work on but we're still in the tie."
"There are a lot of new players within the squad but that's not an excuse," McCrorie added. "We need to start winning games and putting to bed the small mistakes that are killing us. We need to look a bit more solid and I think the gaffer has spoken about that. We need to be better as a whole."
