Much of the anger has now left the building. So many deep-rooted problems remain.
For the first time in months, there were no banners on display inside Ibrox targeting the individuals who, in most supporters’ eyes, were responsible for the current malaise. One by one, Russell Martin, Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell have felt a firm hand on their shoulders.
On this evidence, though, it will be some time before their shadows are no longer cast over this corner of Glasgow.
While the first point of this campaign was some consolation for Danny Rohl, it will probably not be enough to keep Rangers alive in this tournament. No one here is blinded to the wider picture.
The squad which was put together on Thelwell’s watch is not fit for purpose. Defensively, it’s a mess. The restorative job facing his successor is significant and unlikely to be completed any time soon.
For so long, Rangers’ exploits in this competition have been a source of hope and joy for their followers. Not this year.
Rangers boss Danny Rohl is still searching for his first victory in this season’s Europa League
Captain James Tavernier fired the hosts in front at Ibrox on the stroke of half-time
Goalkeeper Jack Butland made a number of vital saves to keep the Portuguese side at bay
Gone for now are the days when the men in Light Blue habitually defeated opponents of similar ability in their own back yard and some with infinity greater resources.
Rather than thriving under the lights on Thursday nights, this Rangers team looks dazzled by them. That’s a damning indictment on all of those who, until recently, held the reins.
A share of the spoils was better than what had come before, but it still leaves Rohl needing to produce a miracle to stand any chance of qualifying.
They’ll need to beat Ferencvaros, Ludogorets and Porto just to have a glimmer of hope of squeezing through on goal difference. Stranger things have happened. But not many.
This assuredly was not how the American owners saw European football when they were handed the keys in May.
James Tavernier’s converted spot kick came in first half injury time via a VAR awarded handball.
Rangers’ task should have been made simpler when Braga were forced to play the final half hour a man light following Rodrigo Zalazar’s headbutt on Nico Raskin. So much for that theory.
Asked to hastily form a defensive partnership following injuries to John Souttar and Derek Cornelius, Emmanuel Fernandez and Nasser Djiga didn’t fill many observers with much confidence against Livingston.
Youssef Chermiti once again struggled up front as his tough start to life at Rangers continued
Djiga, in particular, won’t recall this night with much fondness. A truly horrific error let the 10-men of Braga back into it when the win should have been assured.
The only crumb of comfort for Rohl was that his men hung on for a point after Mohamed Diomande’s late sending off.
Djiga was not the only Thelwell approved signing who again flopped. This should have been the perfect night for Youssef Chermiti to stand up and be counted.
Since leaving Sporting Lisbon two years ago, the Portuguese hasn’t done a great deal in the blue of Everton or Rangers.
Against an old foe from back home, all eyes were on him. Some of his hold-up play was okay. The same again could not be said of his killer instinct. That’s now one goal in 14 games.
It was not a game that was particularly high on quality. A night which, early on, felt like it would be won by whichever side made the fewest errors. There were certainly plenty of them on show.
Rangers began assertively. They pressed high and asked questions. The visitors initially struggled to get out. The only criticism was that Lukas Hornicek in the Braga goal was untroubled.
Mohamed Diomande was given his marching order late on after picking up a second yellow
His opposite number, Jack Butland, would soon be called into action. Zalazar fed Ricardo Horta with a smart reverse pass. Horta drilled a shot low to the keeper’s right. It required a strong arm to beat it away.
By far the liveliest figure in red, Horta was then picked out by Gabri Martinez. Butland raced from his line to spread himself.
Playing in a more central role, Djeidi Gassama saw plenty of the ball. Too often, though, he ran into trouble with it.
One decent burst into space saw him cross for Chermiti, but the forward was standing in a different postcode.
Gustaf Lagerbielke, the former Celtic defender, ought to have had a moment to treasure on the half hour. Picked out by Martinez’s deep cross, the goal beckoned only for him to nod wide.
Braga’s defence also didn’t convince all night. A huge gap appeared from nowhere allowing Diomande to play in Danilo. The Brazilian’s shot was much too tame and central to worry the keeper.
Gassama’s flashing cross gave Hornicek more to think about. He parried the ball back out. Tavernier drilled a good opportunity aimlessly into the stand.
Braga’s Rodrigo Zalazar was shown a straight red for a headbutt on Nicolas Raskin
Rangers were starting to look the more likely to open the scoring. Connor Barron’s deep cross invited Chermiti to take it full on the volley. Hesitation ensured the best he got from the situation was a corner.
Rohl would have taken any break going. It arrived in first half injury time when VAR Pol van Boekel identified a handball by Fran Navarro which truthfully no one else in the ground was aware of.
After Dutch referee Allan Lindhout confirmed the decision, Lagerbielke tried to impact some advice to his keeper on what Tavernier might do.
It mattered little. Hornicek went one way, the ball went the other. Tavernier’s 21st European goal drew him level with Ally McCoist. Rangers returned to the dressing room with a spring in their step.
Braga continued to find new ways to give the ball away in the second half. Whenever they worked their way into a promising position, an error invariable followed.
Chermiti was denied the moment he would have dreamed of when Lagerbielke hacked his shot off the line. Gassama’s follow up was saved.
The sense that this was Rangers’ night heightened just after the hour mark when Zalazar took the long walk for needlessly pushing his head into Raskin.
It should have been the end of the contest. With this Rangers side, though, they are rarely done.
Nasser Djiga’s error allowed Braga to level things up midway through the second period
A speculative ball in from the right demanded Djiga took control of the situation by clearing his lines. He completely froze in the moment, his header weak and aimless.
Somehow, it trickled through to Martinez. He was never missing from six yards.
Rohl threw on Bojan Miovski — a third striker — as he went for broke. The North Macedonian’s first involvement was a handball claim against him in the box which went unpunished.
Another horrible error by Djiga — passing ball straight to an opponent — forced Butland to block Amine El Ouazzani’s strike.
A second booking for Diomande deep into injury time ensured he saw red for the second time in Europe this season.
Rangers just about survived the indignity of losing a fifth straight match in the competition, but they surely won’t stay afloat much longer.
