Rangers fans travelled to Portugal in hope not expectation despite their remarkable second-half comeback against Braga in the first leg of this Europa League last 32 tie in Glasgow last Thursday evening.

They had been given a football lesson by the form team in the Primeira Liga this year for over an hour in Govan and were without Alfredo Morelos due to their leading scorer being suspended.

But Steven Gerrard’s team turned the tables on Ruben Amorim’s side and romped to a richly-deserved 1-0 triumph and 4-3 aggregate win thanks to a second-half Ryan Kent strike. So what did we learn from the Ibrox club’s stunning victory?

Gerrard must stay

The Liverpool and England great has come under huge pressure from Rangers supporters this year as the Ibrox club have lost to Hearts and Kilmarnock, drawn with Aberdeen and St Johnstone and fallen 10 points behind Celtic in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Disgruntled fans have, for the first time since he was appointed in 2018, asked if he has the skillset needed for the job. But this classy win and fine achievement should, even if his side fail to win the William Hill Scottish Cup, secure his future employment in Govan.

Kent silenced his critics

The clamour for Kent, a £7m acquisition from Liverpool in the summer, to be dropped before this game had become deafening after a series of subdued displays. However, the winger more than justified his selection here. Yes, he failed to bury a Ianis Hagi cut back in the first-half. But he made no mistake after being supplied by his team mate in the second.

The 23-year-old shrugged aside the close attentions of Braga defender Nuno Sequeira and slid a left foot shot beyond goalkeeper Matheus and into the bottom right corner of the net. His celebration showed how much it meant to him. His goal and bright all-round showing should lift his confidence and lead to an upturn in form.

Ranger missed Morelos

The Colombian striker might have entered the record books this season by becoming the first player to score 14 goals in a European club competition before Christmas. But his form up front in 2020 has been less than impressive. He has netted just once in eight appearances. The South American squandered three excellent chances against Braga last week.

Could Florian Kamberi, who made his first start since joining Rangers from Hibernian on loan last month due to Morelos being suspended, fare better?

Not really. The Swiss forward, who opened his account for the Glasgow club on Sunday with a spectacular volley against St Johnstone in Perth, worked hard during his time on the park and got in good positions. But he snatched at an early chance and fired straight at keeper Matheus. Would Morelos have buried it? Very possibly given his track record in continental competition.

The Glasgow club’s leading scorer should reclaim his place in the next round.

The missed chances didn’t matter

Gerrard’s men did enough in the first-half to win the game comfortably and progress to the next round. They were by far the better team and created a greater number of scoring chances. But they failed to convert them. Kamberi, Kent and Hagi all should have done far better.

When a side dominates to such a degree and doesn’t take advantage you always feel their profligate finishing will come back to haunt them. But the Ibrox club's midfield and defence were so good it didn't.

Rangers’ penalty woes continue

What do Rangers have to do to score spot kicks? They have now only scored four of their last 10. Ibrox captain James Tavernier was relieved of responsibility for penalties after missing in a Europa League group game against Feyenoord in September.

Striker and leading Morelos then took over - and promptly had an attempt from 12 yards saved in the Betfred Cup final defeat at the hands of Celtic in December. Next to try his luck was midfielder Scott Arfield – who was denied in a William Hill Scottish Cup tie against Hamilton earlier this month.

Hagi, who has shown what a fine finisher he is on numerous since arriving in Scotland on loan back in January, stepped forward last night after Raul Silva had handled a Ryan Kent corner. Brazilian keeper Matheus did brilliantly to deny the Romanian playmaker, but he still should have taken advantage of the chance his side was handed.

It didn’t matter in the end. But it could be time to go back to Tavernier, whose record before this season was decent.