FC Porto secured a 3-1 victory over Rangers in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League knockout round playoff at the Estádio do Dragão on January 30, 2026. The Portuguese giants took a significant step towards the round of 16 with a professional performance, capitalizing on Rangers' defensive errors. Porto dominated from the outset and took a deserved lead in the first half. Rangers equalized against the run of play just before halftime to give themselves hope. Porto responded emphatically in the second half, scoring two quick goals to regain control of the tie, with the third coming from a defensive mistake by the Rangers backline. The Scottish side struggled to cope with Porto's intensity and technical quality for large periods. The two-goal cushion gives Porto a strong advantage ahead of the return leg at Ibrox Stadium. The Rangers manager pointed to individual errors as the cost of defeat but vowed his team would fight until the end in the second leg.