Rangers qualified for the last 16 of the Europa League with a nervy 2-1 win over Union Saint-Gilloise at Ibrox.

Midfielder Nicolas Raskin scored his first goal of the season with a header in the 21st minute and fit-again winger Vaclav Cerny doubled that lead soon after the break with a drive.

Sebastien Pocognoli’s Belgian side, who started the night on 11 points, the same as their hosts, had their chances against a Gers defence and defender Kevin MacAllister reduced the deficit in the 84th minute but Rangers held out for the win.

Several other results had to go the Light Blues’ way in order for them to go straight through to the last 16, and they did with Rangers finishing in eighth place with 14 points and will take on either Fenerbahce, Twente, Bodo/Glimt or Anderlecht with the draw taking place on Friday.

Before the game there was the possibility Rangers could have ended the night anywhere from fifth to 23rd in the table.

Both sides had qualified for the knockout play-offs at least, which took some tension away from the game.

With Ianis Hagi and Clinton Nsiala not included in the European squad, Cerny returned along with centre-back Leon King, making his first start of the season albeit at right-back, with captain and usual right-back James Tavernier moving into the middle of the defence.

There were only minutes played when King, earlier treated for a head knock, had to come off, his place taken by winger Ross McCausland, who soon picked up a booking to make the rest of the game precarious.

However, Rangers steadied themselves and in the 18th minute Gers striker Cyriel Dessers headed a looping Tavernier free-kick wide of the target.

And moments later, Tavernier worked a short corner on the left with Cerny and his cross to the back post was headed in by an unmarked Raskin for the simplest of openers.

In the 29th minute USG striker Franjo Ivanovic poked the ball past Gers keeper Jack Butland after the hesitant Rangers defence failed to deal with a long free-kick into their box but after a long VAR check, Polish referee Damian Sylwestrzak signalled offside.

It was a let-off for the home side and encouragement for the Belgian outfit, although Dessers had the ball in the net just before the break only to be ruled offside.

Just before the break Mohammed Fuseini came close to levelling as he knocked a cross from Ousseynou Niang just past the near post but Clement’s side went into the interval in a tantalising ninth place.

The home side were let off the hook again soon after the break when Tavernier brilliantly blocked a drive from Fuseini who had rounded Butland and Ivanovic somehow missed the target from the loose ball.

However, a driving run by Dessers down the left in the 55th minute ended with the Nigeria striker cutting the ball back for Cerny to finish from 14 yards, giving Rangers a much-needed cushion, before he smashed a shot from 25 yards against the post.

Cerny was replaced by fit-again defender John Souttar on the hour mark, with McCausland moving up and Tavernier moving across.

Rangers’ defence looked more at ease but USG kept them on their toes and MacAllister headed over Butland from a searching free-kick to envelope the stadium in nerves.

USG substitute Kevin Rodriguez hooking a shot over the bar in the final minute of normal time before Dessers missed a chance at the other end in added time, with Rangers holding out to avoid the play-offs.