Losing a player so early meant the hosts were always going to be up against it, but they weathered the storm well with the ultimate team performance.
They made 39 clearances, 20 tackles and kept their discipline – even with nine men on the pitch in the final few minutes following Sterling’s injury.
It was the “proper Rangers performance” Ferguson had been hoping for.
“That’s the exact reaction I wanted,” he said. “That’s what I spoke about on Monday and the players showed a performance full of heart, grit and determination.”
Nico Raskin and 18-year-old Bailey Rice – making only his second start – were organised in midfield.
Behind them, Balogun and Sterling dealt with the imposing threat of Maroan Sannadi, while on the wings, Ianis Hagi and Vaclav Cerny tracked back to help cover.
Up front, Cyriel Dessers fought to win free-kicks while feeding off scraps.
Kelly, the hero of the hour, was also quick to praise his team-mates.
“I never actually had much to do in the game,” he suggested. “Once we went down to 10 men, the guys in front of me were absolutely brilliant.
“I just wanted to help the team, I don’t really care about me.”
That mentality, one of togetherness, is what we have seen on many European nights at Ibrox. Rangers must dig deep to find it again in Bilbao next week.
