Rangers go up in Europa League smoke as reinstated fans flirt with fine and closure amid all hell breaking loose

It was self-sabotage on every level. The Copland Stand is now fully operational but it might be at risk of being closed again when Uefa investigate what occurred around 11 minutes into a crazy match.

We are used to the pyro debate here in Scotland but actual fireworks might be a new one. Several were fired into the night sky above ‘keeper Jack Butland’s head. German referee Sven Jablonski paused the game for a while. Many Rangers fans started booing what was going in the area where the Union Bears are congregated. The fans’ group have only just been moved to this new area. One wonders how long this arrangement will last.

A fine at the very least looks likely to be in the post from Uefa to compound the misery of this defeat. The hosts were the architects of their own downfall although no one can pretend Lyon were not by far the better team. Belgian 19-year-old Malick Fofana, who scored twice, led Rangers a merry dance.

Still, quite what Connor Barron was thinking when he turned and played a blind pass towards John Souttar is anyone’s guess. The ball never reached the defender and Fofana teed up his veteran striker partner Alexandre Lacazette to put Lyon into the lead for the second time in the night. There were just 19 minutes on the clock.

It’s difficult to be too hard on Barron, who has been excellent this season for Rangers. He was applauded when he was replaced after 69 minutes by Nicolas Raskin. It was notable that he left the pitch at the same time as Vaclav Cerny, another who experienced a night to forget.

It’s still early in the campaign but Cerny managed to produce a miss of the season contender after only eight minutes. It might be lazy and cliched to mention the name Peter van Vossen whenever a Rangers player – or indeed any player - does something like this but the comparison is a worthy one. The winger has not hit the ground running at Rangers and confidence – or, indeed, the lack of it - certainly seemed an issue when he scooped the ball over the bar from eight yards in front of what was as good as an open goal.

Lucas Perri, the Lyon ‘keeper, had blocked Tom Lawrence’s shot and the ball fell at Cerny’s feet. It should have been 1-0 Rangers. It might already have been 1-0 Rangers, with Perri having been forced into a good save from James Tavernier after three minutes.

Then all hell broke loose in front of a packed Ibrox which included Sir Alex Ferguson. Three goals inside 20 minutes, a miss for the ages plus a fireworks show. No-one can say they didn’t get value for money.

Cerny’s head-in-hands moment came just after the burst of rockets. Trails of vapour still hung over the pitch when the winger lifted the ball over the bar when it looked easier to score. Still, poor visibility was no excuse.

Making things worse, Lyon went ahead shortly afterwards, Fofana curling sweetly into the far corner after the ball had broken to the talented 19-year-old after Souttar’s possibly illegal challenge on Rayan Cherki, another Lyon young gun at just 21.

It didn’t seem purely coincidental that this bonkers period of play followed the fireworks delay. Butland, for one, had not looked happy with the fans behind him. However, it’s incumbent on players to keep their composure.

Rangers deserved credit for levelling the score so quickly after falling behind when Corentin Tolisso’s attempted back header fell short and Perri could not gather. Lawrence bravely nipped in to score but paid the cost in the form of a knock that meant he did not reappear after half-time.

By this point Rangers were already 3-1 down. Barron’s brainfreeze in the middle of the park saw Fofana given the opportunity to skip towards goal and then more slack defending on the right saw Lacazette with the ball at his feet. He was happy to run along the edge of the box before turning to whip an unstoppable shot into the top right-hand corner past Butland.

The Tannoy announcer had just informed spectators there would be an extra five minutes played at the end of the half. It turned out there was longer while an unnecessary wait for a VAR check took place. Can a goal be chopped off for being hit too cleanly? Butland nearly got it on the way out.

Fofana tapped in his second of the night ten minutes after half-time after Cherki evaded Barron before crossing.