From the misery of Malmo, Rangers will hope to avoid anxiety in Armenia.
Nine days on from the pain of seeing their Champions League hopes crumble against the Swedish champions, the Light Blues’ Europa League hopes remain on track - just.
Alfredo Morelos’ 67th minute strike has given Steven Gerrard’s champions the slenderest of leads in this Europa League play-off clash.
But they so easily could have been heading for next week’s second leg - set to be played out in 40 degree heat in searing Yerevan - in much worse shape after John Lundstram’s moment of madness.
A flat first half ended with the former Sheffield United midfielder collecting a totally needless second yellow card to leave Gers in danger of another European slip-up.
But Morelos bagged his 25th European goal for the Light Blues to ensure the Scottish champions will travel the 3,500 miles to the Armenian capital packing a narrow advantage.
Gerrard sprung a surprise before kick-off when he named Calvin Bassey at left back ahead of regular starter Borna Barisic.
Ryan Kent has been one of the Ibrox boss’ Mr Dependables since arriving three years ago but he’s another key man yet to take off this term and he passed up a huge chance to grab the initiative 22 minutes in.
Joe Aribo pinched possession midway inside the Alashkert half before Ianis Hagi slid in Kent. However, the £7million man leant back as he made contact and his strike rose high before clipping the top of the bar on its way out of play.
Gers were in control but making life difficult for themselves as they again went through the motions in possession.
The last thing they needed was a loss of discipline - but Lundstram didn’t get the memo.
Already on a booking, he picked up a needless second yellow three minutes before the break for a tug on Jose Embalo.
The Portuguese ace was still inside his own half and going nowhere but Lundstram could not resist a pull at his jersey, leaving Greek ref Tasos Sidiropoulos no choice but to reach for his pocket again.
It was a brainless move and left Gers right up against it.
The officials were in no mood to do them hosts a favour, with Sidiropoulos waving away Bassey’s penalty appeals as he went down in the box after a tangle with Wangu Game.
Gerrard decided to be bold at the break as he hooked Kent and introduced Scott Wright as a striker up alongside Morelos.
The Colombian was denied the opener on 58 minutes when Didier Kadio cleared his opportunist effort off the line. A minute later he came close again as he nodded wide from a Hagi cross.
But at the third time of asking the club’s record European scorer kept his cool to fire through the keeper’s legs after James Tavernier’s long ball sent Morelos scampering through on Ognjen Cancarevic all on his own.
Gers hoped to put daylight between themselves and their opponents but there was no second goal and they must now hold their nerve all over again in the Caucasus.
Here's five talking points from Ibrox
Magic Morelos just the trick for Gerrard
With his side down to 10 men and nerves jangling after last week’s Champions League slip-up, Steven Gerrard really needed his talisman to stand tall.
Wee Alfie had barely looked interested during a laboured first-half in which the only noise coming from the Ibrox faithful was groans.
The cries of despair only grew after the break when the Colombian saw a shot booted off the line before he headed another glorious chance wide.
But credit to Gers’ record European scorer as he kept his cool to fire Gers ahead after being sent clean through on the keeper by skipper James Tavernier.
It was the kind of chance Morelos has spurned before but this time he made no mistake, firing through Ognjen Cancarevic’ legs for his 24th Rangers goal in Uefa competition.
One step forward for Lundstram, two steps Bac
John Lundstram may have hoped his troubled start to life at Ibrox had turned around after he opened his Gers account in last week’s League Cup win over Dunfermline.
But having been guilty of defensive lapses against Malmo and Dundee United, the former Sheffield United midfielder made another questionable decision as he got himself sent off just before the interval.
The Liverpudlian opened up on his struggles to adapt to Gerrard’s gameplay this week when he revealed he was previously asked to stay AWAY from the ball at Brammall Lane.
Well he should have left Jose Embalo well alone. His tug on the Portuguese ace was totally needless - especially so as he’d already been booked - and he is lucky his folly did not result in another European disaster.
Rangers paraded new signing Juninho Bacuna to the Ibrox crowd at half-time - and if Lundstram is not careful the new signing from Huddersfield will be taking his place in the not so distant future.
Kent misfires again
This time last year Ryan Kent was in unstoppable form. The former Liverpool ace was the stand-out August performer 12 months ago, walking away with the player of the month award.
But his sparkling form dipped as the winter cold set in and it would be February before he rediscovered his spark.
This time round, the playmaker has struggled to even get started.
He passed up a great chance to put Gers ahead when he fired onto the roof of the bar while there were a couple more wayward efforts.
It was no surprise to see him replaced at the break as Scott Wright came on to give Gers fresh energy but Rangers really could do with Kent finding some consistent form.
Brilliant Bassey an able deputy for benched Barisic
There have been more and more calls for Calvin Bassey to get a start given the way he performed during pre-season.
The clamour only increased after his impressive display in Friday night’s win over the Pars, with the former Leicester man laying on two goals.
But it was still surprising to see the 21-year-old trusted to start a game of such significance.
Borna Barisic has been such a vital figure for Gerrard’s team in recent years but he is not the only member of the Ibrox squad to have suffered an early season slump.
And fair play to Bassey who has taken his chance. His crossing has improved hugely over the summer, as demonstrated buy a delicious ball he threw over from deep 15 minutes in which only just failed to find a taker. He was bang on the money give minutes later when he picked out Kent with another pin-point delivery but the winger shanked wide when he should have done better.
Barisic will reclaim his place at some stage but Gerrard’s faith in Bassey is growing by the week.
Rangers packing light for the second leg
Gerrard would really have preferred to have tucked away a more substantial lead in his suitcase ahead of next week’s huge 3,500-mile trip to Yerevan.
But he will have to hope that a slender one-goal lead is enough to see his side into the Europe League group stages for the fourth year running.
Gers have had to hold their nerve at this stage of the competition three times previously, having edged past Ufa, Legia Warsaw and Galatasaray.
Ideally, the Ibrox boss would have preferred to have had a healthy advantage going into the second leg so he could rest up some of his top lieutenants in the Armenian capital ahead of the first Old Firm battle of the season three days later.
But he will not have that luxury now as Gers face yet another nail-biter to clinch qualification.
