McInnes 'embarrassed and mortified' as Rangers crash out of Conference League

Rangers are out of European competition this season after a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat to Jablonec at Stadion Strelnice in the Conference League play-off round. Leading 1-0 from the first leg at Ibrox, the Scottish side were pegged back in the Czech Republic and eventually beaten from the spot. Derek McInnes did not hide his anger afterwards, calling the performance embarrassing and admitting he felt mortified by what his team produced.

• Jablonec forced extra time when Vakhtang Tchanturishvili struck in the 73rd minute and the tie was settled from the penalty spot.
• Findlay Curtis blazed his kick over the bar and James Penrice was denied by Jan Hanus before Jan Chramosta scored the decisive penalty.
• McInnes criticised the overall display and took responsibility for a squad rebuilt with 12 new signings that now has no European football.
• Rangers had already lost to Jagiellonia Bialystok in Europa League qualifying, making this the second continental exit of the season.

Jablonec punish Rangers and force a penalty shootout

Rangers travelled to the Czech Republic holding a slender advantage from the first meeting in Glasgow and for long spells looked capable of protecting it. But the home side were the better team for much of the contest and got their reward late on when Vakhtang Tchanturishvili fired home in the 73rd minute to level the tie. With the aggregate score at 1-1, the match went to extra time and neither team could find a winner before penalties.

The shootout swung in both directions. Rangers goalkeeper Ivor Pandur saved from Filip Zorvan to give the visitors a lifeline, but it did not last. Findlay Curtis sent his effort over the crossbar and James Penrice was stopped by Jan Hanus. With the door open, Jan Chramosta stepped up and converted the winning penalty to send Jablonec into the main phase of the Conference League.

Derek McInnes delivers a brutal assessment of Rangers' exit

McInnes offered no excuses after the final whistle. The Rangers manager opened his press conference by saying he was embarrassed by the performance and claimed the only people who represented the club properly were his staff and the travelling supporters. "The only people who represented the club well tonight were my staff, the support staff in the preparation, and the supporters, who to a man were outstanding getting behind the team despite watching what we all watched," he said.

The former Hearts boss was especially critical of the overall level shown by his players and accepted that Jablonec deserved to go through. He argued that even a shootout victory would have hidden deeper problems and stressed that the display was nowhere near the standard demanded at Rangers. "I am not going to sit here and make any excuses whatsoever. It was not good enough. If we had won it on penalties we would have taken it, but we would have covered over the cracks to be honest," he admitted.

"I am mortified by the performance. I know you can lose games of football, but we should have enough in the building to take care of that tonight. Yes, there has been a big turnover of players. Yes, we looked very inexperienced at times. But the responsibility is mine to make sure that we are better than what we served up tonight. And we were miles short, miles short."

A 12-signing rebuild that now has no European campaign

This latest setback deepens a difficult start for Rangers, who had already been knocked out of the Europa League by Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok in qualifying. Dropping into the Conference League offered a route back into continental competition, but that path is now closed too. The project built by McInnes since arriving from Hearts, with 12 players signed and more expected, is under serious pressure only weeks into the season.

McInnes acknowledged that his squad looked inexperienced at key moments and that improvement must come quickly. He made clear that while he carries the ultimate responsibility, the players have to raise their own level. "I will take responsibility for the result, but the responsibility is shared. The players have got to be better than that. It is my job to help the players but they have got to help themselves as well," he explained.

Motherwell and Hibernian also exit the Conference League

Rangers were not the only Scottish side to suffer on a painful European night. Motherwell were beaten 4-1 away to Europa League finalists Freiburg in a match shaped by another red card. A week after Martin Moormann's dismissal helped the Germans win 3-1 in the first leg, Jake Girdwood-Reich was sent off just before the hour mark with the second leg level at 1-1. Two goals from set pieces in the minutes after the sending off and a late Keisuke Goto strike sealed a 7-2 aggregate victory for Freiburg.

Hibernian also fell at the play-off stage for the second year in a row. After a goalless first leg in Belgium, the Edinburgh side fought back at home with second-half goals from Jason Kerr and Felix Passlack cancelling out Josue Vergara's opener. But Christian Burgess equalised for Gent in the 84th minute and Miguel Chaiwa's stoppage-time own goal handed the Belgian club a 3-2 win on the night and a place in the main phase.

What Rangers lose with this Conference League elimination

Missing out on the Conference League group stage carries serious consequences for Rangers. The club loses access to UEFA prize money and the commercial exposure that comes with playing in the main phase of a European competition, resources that are particularly valuable for a squad in the middle of a rebuild. The absence of continental fixtures also weakens the club's appeal when trying to attract further signings.

Rangers' European season is over in August, leaving domestic competitions as the only remaining targets. The pressure on McInnes has increased after two early exits and the manager is fully aware of the disappointment felt by supporters. "It is such a low point. I am embarrassed with the result. I am gutted for the supporters because they have come here, and they deserve to see their team perform way better than that," he said.