Teuma hailed as a hero after Union secure first European victory since 1962

On Tuesday, Teddy Teuma captained Union Saint-Gilloise on one of their biggest nights ever.

The Belgian side hosted and defeated last season’s Europa League finalists Rangers 2-0 to edge closer to the play-off round of the UEFA Champions League.

It was Union’s first European appearance since the 1964/1965 season when they met Juventus in the Inter-Cities Fair Cup. The Italians had eliminated the Belgians on a 2-0 aggregate and Union had to wait almost six decades to return to European football.

Against Rangers, Malta’s Teuma opened the score with a delightful close-range left shot for Union’s first European goal since the 1962/1963 edition. Back then, the last goal was scored by Lucien Mertens against Dinamo Zagreb.

In the process, Teuma became the first Malta international player to score at this stage of this competition.

Union’s 2-0 win against the Scottish side was also their first in 60 years. A 4-2 victory against Olympique Marseille was their last one recorded in a European competition.

“Nothing is done. We have seen in many matches that at 2-0, nothing is certain,” Teuma told RTL Sport after the game.

“We will have to go there with a lot of ambition.

We play football to experience emotions like that and it is great.”

Teuma also heaped praise on the supporters who filled OH Leuven’s stadium for this game as Union’s home venue does not abide by UEFA standards.

“We have extraordinary supporters,” the Malta international said.

“Our success is also theirs. We can thank them because it is also thanks to them.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Union St Gilloise discovered their potential opponents should they progress to the Play-off Round as they will face the winner of the tie between Monaco and PSV Eindhoven.