Ajax vs Rangers LIVE: Champions League result, final score and reaction as Ajax notch comfortable win

Ajax 4-0 Rangers: Gers lose heavily in their first Champions League match in 12 years

In-form Ajax prepare for Rangers in opening UCL encounter

Ajax built a commanding early lead before overwhelming Rangers 4-0 in Champions League Group A at the Johan Cruyff Arena.

Edson Alvarez, Steven Berghuis and Mohammed Kudus scored in a one-sided first half and Steven Bergwijn added the fourth 10 minutes from time to complete the rout.

It was a dominant display from a new-look Ajax, who sold several key players over the summer, and lost head coach Erik ten Hag to Manchester United, but still proved far too strong for the Scottish side - last season’s Europa League runners-up.

Borna Barisic did have a goal disallowed for the Gers after an offside in the build-up but they were largely outclassed.

Relive all the action as Ajax beat Rangers in the Champions League:

Ajax vs Rangers

• Full-time: Ajax 4-0 Rangers
• Rangers lose their first Champions League group stage match in 12 years
• 80’ - GOAL! Bergwijn adds a fourth for the hosts (AJX 4-0 RAN)
• 33’ - GOAL! Wonderful Kudus finish deepens Rangers woe (AJX 3-0 RAN)
• 32’ - GOAL! Berghuis doubles Ajax lead with deflected goal (AJX 2-0 RAN)
• 17’ - GOAL! Alvarez heads Ajax in front from a corner (AJX 1-0 RAN)
• Scottish side beat Union Saint-Gilloise and PSV Eindhoven in qualifiers to reach group stage

[7 September 2022 19:07 · Michael Jones]

Ajax 3-0 Rangers

63 mins: Ajax are up over 76% possession. It’s been a very one-sided game and now the home players are putting on a bit of a show for their fans.

Close! Mohammed Kudus shimmies and dribbles his way through the Rangers defence. McLaughlin closes him down and blocks the shot from close range before Leon King boots the ball away.

[7 September 2022 19:03 · Michael Jones]

Ajax 3-0 Rangers

60 mins: Ajax win a corner that Tadic slides into Kenneth Taylor. He swings a cross into the middle of the box but Rangers head it clear.

John Lundstram has dropped back as a third centre-half and Leon King has taken over from James Tavernier wide on the right of the Rangers defence.

[7 September 2022 19:01 · Michael Jones]

Ajax 3-0 Rangers

57 mins: Steven Bergwijn bombs down the left wing and brings the ball inside before laying it off to Kudus. Ajax look as though they want to flood the box but Kudus sends the ball back and they retreat.

[7 September 2022 18:58 · Michael Jones]

Ajax 3-0 Rangers

54 mins: Borna Barisic swings another Rangers free kick into the penalty area and finds James Sands who seems determined to make up for his earlier deflection.

His header loops towards goal and drops safely into the hands of Remko Pasveer. The whistle then goes for a foul in the build up and Ajax have a free kick of their own.

[7 September 2022 18:56 · Michael Jones]

Ajax 3-0 Rangers

51 mins: Rangers are already seeing more of the ball but Ajax’s tempo has slowed way down. They’re content to kept hold of the ball and knock it around into space.

[7 September 2022 18:51 · Michael Jones]

Ajax 3-0 Rangers

48 mins: Rabbi Matondo gets stuck in straight away and wins a free kick over on the right side of the pitch, inside Ajax’s half. Borna Barisic floats the set piece into the middle and finds James Sands who’s difficult headed effort glances wide of goal.

[7 September 2022 18:50 · Michael Jones]

Second half: Ajax 3-0 Rangers

Kick off: The home side get the match back underway. Giovanni van Bronckhorst has made three changes at half-time. James Tavernier, Scott Wright and Malik Tillman are all hooked with Ryan Jack, Rabbi Matondo and Leon King all brought on.

[7 September 2022 18:46 · Michael Jones]

Napoli vs Liverpool line-ups

Napoli XI: Meret, Di Lorenzo, Kim, Rrahmani, Olivera, Politano, Lobotka, Zambo Anguissa, Kvaratshhelia, Zielinski, Osimhen

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Milner, Fabinho, Elliott, Salah, Firmino, Diaz

[7 September 2022 18:41 · Michael Jones]

HT Ajax 3-0 Rangers

One way traffic in Amsterdam as Ajax have romped into a three goal lead against Rangers. Will they add to their tally in the second half?

(Getty Images)

(PA)

[7 September 2022 18:35 · Michael Jones]

Liverpool begin ‘proper, proper challenge’ on European trip with unhappy memories

“Where’s it next season? Istanbul? Book the hotel.” Jurgen Klopp’s response to defeat in May’s Champions League final may have done wonders for Turkey’s tourism industry but it also showed much about his psychology. Klopp tends to turn a negative into a positive. In the process, he can feel prophetic.

The morning after his previous Champions League final loss to Real Madrid, in 2018, he wondered at Kyiv airport if Liverpool would return to such a stage 12 months later. They duly did, winning in 2019. Liverpool can now hope history repeats itself again, that a brush with glory one year will be followed by an embrace the next.

Klopp can excel at engendering optimism but there were few reasons for happiness on an awful night in Paris. Certainly not for the supporters who were mistreated by French police, whose failings were compounded by Uefa’s, and for whom Wednesday’s trip to Naples, with its own reputation for intimidation, scarcely represented an ideal return to Europe.

On the field, Liverpool could have other reasons for regret: in 2018, they plotted a highly entertaining path around Europe, scoring goals galore but, as they finished 25 points behind Manchester City, they were not the continent’s outstanding team. They entered the final as underdogs.