After the away side had an early goal disallowed the hosts didn’t look back as a Tom Lawrence finish, Vaclav Cerny double and first goal for the club for Hamza Igamane saw the Light Blues take all three points as they claimed their second victory in the competition this season.
Manager Philippe Clement made two changes to his starting side from their weekend defeat as they looked to bounce back under the lights, Leon Balogun and Nico Raskin both came into the starting XI, with Robin Propper and Mohamed Diomande named on the bench.
The Romanian visitors thought they got off to the dream start at Ibrox. A pass back to Jack Butland saw the goalkeeper hesitate in his clearance under pressure from David Miculescu, the winger robbed the goalkeeper of possession inside his own penalty area before rolling the ball into the empty net, but the Italian referee deemed the challenge to be unfair as he blew for a foul and disallowed the goal.
Rangers looked to respond in search of an early opener themselves. Introduced into the team for the evening from the get-go Nico Raskin collected the ball on the edge of the area before trying his luck on his left side, but the shot was beaten away by Stefan Tarnovanu in the FCSB goal.
The Gers did find the start they were looking for as they broke the deadlock through Tom Lawrence just minutes later. After winning the ball down the right side through Vaclav Cerny the Czech Republic international spotted his teammate well placed on the edge of the area, his shot appeared to come off both his feet before finding the target off the post with Tarnovanu unable to keep it out despite getting two hands on the effort.
Clement’s men found a renewed confidence from making the breakthrough. A corner kick delivery from captain James Tavernier evaded everyone including the goalkeeper as John Souttar came from the back post and met it on the volley, but the defender saw it late as the effort flashed wide from close range.
Just before the half-hour mark, the away side went close to a response. A free kick committed by Leon Balogun was one off the training ground as Marius Stefanescu fired it low to the arriving Luis Phelipe on the edge of the area, but Butland was equal to the effort as he tipped it over the top.
The hosts were on to pounce on an FCSB mistake as Cerny doubled the Rangers advantage with a well-taken finish. Turning the ball over well inside the opposing half the winger set himself on the edge of the area before placing a shot on his right side into the far corner to leave the goalkeeper little chance as he doubled the lead at Ibrox.
The Light Blues were well on top in the contest as they looked to stretch their lead further with what remained of the first half. Again coming down the right side, a ball was played inside to the advanced Connor Barron with space ahead of him, but he dragged his left footed shot wide of the post as he continues to go in search of his first goal for the club signing since his summer arrival.
The away side made three half-time changes as they looked to find a way back into the game. They started on the front foot and looked to cause some early problems for the hosts, who went into the second period in a commanding position.
After some early pressure, it was the Gers who had the first chance since the restart, working the ball from the left Tavernier collected it from outside the box, but lashed his effort over the top as they sought out a third goal that would finish off the contest.
The Gers then put the game beyond any doubt and it was Vaclav Cerny at the double. Working the ball from the back substitute Diomande slid the ball to the right as the winger collected it and carried the ball forward for a sustained period, he cut inside on his left in the area before placing it into the far corner beyond Tarnovanu to put Rangers three in front.
The hosts continued to probe as they went in search for more under the lights of Ibrox. Cerny again heavily involved, he worked the ball towards the edge of the box with Diomande unmarked, but he dragged his effort wide of the far post.
A comfortable evening got even better for the Gers as Hamza Igamane was on hand to score his first goal for the club. A changeover in possession inside the FCSB half was pounced on by the Moroccan who shifted the ball onto his right foot inside the area before cooly dispatching the ball into the far corner to make it four.
The away side had a few openings to find a consolation goal come to no avail with the Gers continuing to look a threat on the counter. Going on to control the final moments Clement’s men responded to the weekend’s defeat in impressive fashion as they claimed their second Europa League victory of the campaign to move onto six points from three matches.
RANGERS: Butland, Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun (Propper 68), Jefte, Barron, Raskin, Lawrence (Diomande 45), Bajrami (Lovelace 74), Cerny (Kasanwirijo 74), Dessers (Igamane 57)
SUBS: Kelly, Dowell, Sterling, McCausland, Fraser, McKinnon, Rice
FCSB: Tarnovanu, Pantea (Radunovic 45), Ngezana, Dawa, Popescu, Edjouma (Musi 60), Alhassan, Stefanescu (Baluta 45) Luiz Phelipe (Popescu 45), Miculescu (Baeten 63), Birligea
SUBS: Vlad, Cretu, Pantiru, Popa, Chiriches