Rarely can progress in Europe have felt so hollow. Rarely can a 3-0 lead have looked so fragile. And rarely can a team have inspired such little confidence in being able to see it through.
On a tense and nervy night in Plzen, Rangers took one step closer to Champions League qualification but looked deeply unconvincing in doing so.
This was not the polished, professional performance that Russell Martin and his players had called for as they aimed to secure their place in the play-off round.
They got the job done in the end, as well as a guaranteeing a windfall of £3.7million being pumped into the coffers, with a tie against Club Brugge to come.
But Rangers could count their lucky stars that Plzen were so profligate in front of goal. On another night, the Czechs could quite easily have scored another two or three goals.
It’s not that they were a particularly impressive, free-flowing side. Far from it, in fact. In Scotland, Plzen would be lucky to make the top six in the SPFL Premiership.
Lyall Cameron celebrates after his second-half goal gave Rangers breathing space in Plzen
Martin watches from the touchline as his side fail to exert their authority on proceedings
Cameron’s goal came after Durosinmi put the hosts in front and sparked belief of a comeback
But they beat Rangers 2-1 on the night here and made this an uncomfortable assignment for Martin and his new-look team. The sweaty palms were in keeping with the soaring temperatures.
Rangers created much of their problems, inviting pressure by relentlessly trying to play out from the back whilst also switching off at other key moments.
Lyall Cameron scored his first goal for the Ibrox club early in the second half. That really should have settled the matter.
But Plzen fought back and scored a second through substitute Svetozar Markovic, adding to a first-half goal from their hulking striker Rafiu Durosinmi.
In the bigger picture of how this team improves and moves forward under Martin, this was a night which offered more questions than answers.
They completed their objective, thanks largely to such a dominant display in Glasgow last week, but the performance here last night inspired no confidence.
At the moment, Rangers have the look of a team who can point a gun at their own feet at any moment and won’t pull their finger away from the trigger.
Oliver Antman goes past Prince Adu but the Finn failed to hit the heights of the first leg
Martin warned that there may be some pain in the short term. That may yet come against Brugge, who are a far more dangerous side than Plzen.
For now, Rangers fans will travel home happy that their team have a chance at Champions League qualification, if also conceding that it remains a long shot.
Martin made two changes to the team which beat Plzen so comprehensively in Glasgow last week. Max Aarons didn’t make the trip after picking up a slight knock against Dundee last weekend, with captain James Tavernier slotting back in at right-back.
In midfield, Joe Rothwell, who had been an ever-present since joining in the summer, was rested in favour of Nico Raskin.
Martin had spoken in the build-up about how Raskin’s head had been turned amid transfer interest, but the reality is that he remains Rangers’ best player.
After being dropped for the first leg, as well as the weekend draw with Dundee, the Belgian international was deployed as the single pivot at the base of midfield.
With temperatures soaring above 30 degrees, the band of around 650 Rangers fans who made the trip to Plzen basked in the sunshine prior to kick-off.
Cyriel Dessers goes down awkwardly and had to be taken off, adding to Rangers’ concerns
Only too happy to sample some of the local drop from the Pilsner brewery, where the Rangers fanzone was based, it was a welcome escape from the misery of what unfolded against Dundee last weekend.
Despite the fact they travelled to the Czech Republic with such a commanding lead, Rangers were still hell-bent on playing out from the back as per Martin’s mantra.
Jack Butland was wandering miles out of his goal to essentially operate as an extra defender when in possession.
But there was a nervousness to it all. Stationed behind his goal, the Plzen ultras pounced on any mistake — and there were plenty — as Rangers gave the ball away.
A manager who wants to stick to his principles is admirable, but with his side 3-0 up, this was proving to be an exercise in poor game-management.
Rangers were inviting trouble upon themselves. Tavernier and Mohamed Diomande were both guilty of giving the ball away cheaply far too often.
Cameron celebrates his strike with Diomande and Danilo, who had miscued his effort on goal
Plzen midfielder Lukas Cerv had a shot from distance which stung the palms of Butland, whilst veteran striker Matej Vydra blew a great chance with a header.
Prince Kwabena Adu shot just wide and it was clear that the home side were growing in confidence, knowing that they could prey on Rangers errors.
The breakthrough eventually came just five minutes before half-time when a quick free-kick down Plzen’s right flank cut Rangers open. Amar Memic scampered away and cut the ball back on a plate for Durosinmi. Butland was helpless as the ball flew past him into the net for 1-0.
Rangers had been poor. Their only real chance of note came when Cameron’s bicycle kick flew over the bar, but it was never close.
There was no punch in the final third. Cyriel Dessers looked slow and ponderous, and was outmuscled by Plzen’s powerhouse centre-back Sampson Dweh.
Both brilliantly effective with how they terrorised the Czechs in Glasgow, Oliver Antman and Djeidi Gassama couldn’t get into the game.
Durosinmi celebrates with Adu after putting Plzen in front and sparking hopes of a comeback
Perhaps most galling of all was the fact that Plzen represent fairly limited opposition. They are not a good team, yet they troubled Rangers.
Leading 1-0 as the teams re-emerged for the second half, the home crowd had their tails up and believed the comeback was very much on.
Dessers limped off with an injury early in the second half and was replaced by Danilo.
Rangers breathed a huge sigh of relief when a quick Plzen breakaway saw Memic flash the ball across the face of goal, only for it to escape the reaches of Adu.
Along with the Vydra header in the first half, it was another huge change that had gone to waste for the home side.
It felt like it was only a matter of time until Plzen scored a second. Instead, only moments later as the clock reached the hour, Rangers found an equaliser.
Diomande did well to keep the ball in play down the right channel. He cut the ball back for Danilo to unleash a shot at goal.
Jack Butland was a busy man for Rangers as his lively start to the season continued in Plzen
Cameron was able to stick out a leg and poke the ball into the Plzen net for his first goal since joining Rangers. With that, a few nerves had been settled.
Or, at least, they should have been. But Rangers were determined to make life difficult for themselves.
A shot from Adu on 76 minutes forced a brilliant low save from Butland. Given the amount of chances squandered by the Czechs, it was remarkable the game was still 1-1.
Parity wouldn’t last. Markovic bulleted in a header from a Christophe Kabongo cross to tee-up a jittery final ten minutes.
Rangers saw it out and took one step closer to the Champions League. As for one step forward in the performance levels? Not so much.
