Balogun scores own goal in Rangers draw as Slimani and Toko Ekambi fire Lyon to victory

Leon Balogun scored an own goal as Rangers played out a 1-1 draw with Brondby in Thursday’s Uefa Europa League match.

Two weeks after scoring his first goal in a European competition against the Danish team, the 33-year-old turned the ball into the back of his own net on the stroke of half-time to break the deadlock at the Brondby Stadion.

Balogun’s own goal stretched an unwanted record for Steven Gerrard’s side, making them the only team to have scored the most own goals (5) in the Europa League since the start of the 2019-20 season.

After the resumption of play, the Scottish Premiership giants scored an equaliser through second-half substitute Ianis Hagi in the 77th minute.

Balogun played the entire duration alongside his compatriot Joe Aribo while Calvin Bassey came on as an 81st-minute substitute and Zambia’s Fashion Sakala was replaced in the 56th minute.

Rangers remain unmoved in the third spot, level on four points with second-placed Sparta Prague after four games while Brondby sit at the bottom with two points.

In the other Group A fixture, Algeria striker Islam Slimani scored a brace and Cameroon’s Karl Toko Ekambi grabbed a lone goal as Lyon hammered Sparta Prague 3-0 to confirm their qualification into the round of 32.

After a goalless first 45 minutes at the Groupama Stadium, Slimani scored two quickfire goals within two minutes to give the hosts a two-goal lead.

He was replaced in the 69th minute and Toko Ekambi came off the bench at that same time to extend his fine goalscoring in the secondary European competition.

The Cameroon star found the back of the net in the 92nd minute which took his tally to six goals after four matches in the tournament this campaign.

Lyon sit comfortably atop of Group A with an unblemished record of 12 points from four games.

Their next Europa League outing is a trip to Brondby on November 25 while Balogun and Aribo’s Rangers host Sparta Prague that same day at the Ibrox Stadium.