Rangers beaten 4-0 by Ajax in tough Champions League return

Rangers' first Champions League match in 12 years wound up being a sobering experience.

The Scottish club conceded three goals in the opening 33 minutes and was toyed with in the second half of a 4-0 loss at Ajax on Wednesday.

Edson Alvarez, Steven Berghuis and lively forwards Mohammed Kudus and Steven Bergwijn were the scorers for Ajax at Johan Cruijff Arena, continuing the Dutch champions' strong start to the season after five straight wins in the Eredivisie.

While Ajax is showing no immediate effects of losing Sebastien Haller, Antony and Lisandro Martinez in the summer transfer window, Rangers looked badly short of quality at the start of a Group A campaign that will also include games against Napoli and Liverpool.

Just being back at this level is a feat for Rangers considering its bruising last decade that started with the club getting demoted to the bottom tier of Scottish soccer because of a financial crisis brought on by its former ownership's reckless mismanagement.

Rangers' Ryan Kent, left, challenges for the ball with Ajax's Devyne Rensch during a Champions League group A soccer match between Ajax and Rangers at the Johan Cruyff ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday Sept. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

However, the team has a major task in avoiding a last-place finish in the group after being outclassed by Ajax, which went ahead in the 17th minute when Alvarez headed home unmarked from Berghuis' right-wing corner.

Rangers' first Champions League match in 12 years wound up being a sobering experience.

The Scottish club conceded three goals in the opening 33 minutes and was toyed with in the second half of a 4-0 loss at Ajax on Wednesday.

Edson Alvarez, Steven Berghuis and lively forwards Mohammed Kudus and Steven Bergwijn were the scorers for Ajax at Johan Cruijff Arena, continuing the Dutch champions' strong start to the season after five straight wins in the Eredivisie.

While Ajax is showing no immediate effects of losing Sebastien Haller, Antony and Lisandro Martinez in the summer transfer window, Rangers looked badly short of quality at the start of a Group A campaign that will also include games against Napoli and Liverpool.

Just being back at this level is a feat for Rangers considering its bruising last decade that started with the club getting demoted to the bottom tier of Scottish soccer because of a financial crisis brought on by its former ownership's reckless mismanagement.

However, the team has a major task in avoiding a last-place finish in the group after being outclassed by Ajax, which went ahead in the 17th minute when Alvarez headed home unmarked from Berghuis' right-wing corner.