Already-eliminated Rangers came into tonight’s game with nothing to play for except pride against Porto, who were in need of a win to be in with a chance of a top-eight finish.
Yet it was the Scottish outfit who got off to the better start, taking the lead inside six minutes.
James Tavernier executed the high press brilliantly, intercepting a pass and feeding Findlay Curtis, who floated a ball into the box, which was expertly guided home by the head of Djeidi Gassama.
The Dragoes responded well after falling behind and turned the game on its head with two goals in quick succession around the half-hour mark.
First, Rodrigo Mora pounced on a loose ball in the box to fire home and restore parity on 27 minutes.
Then, in the 36th minute, another ball into the Rangers box caused a mix-up at the back as Tavernier clattered into his goalkeeper, Jack Butland, which allowed Francisco Moura to lash into an empty net.
The Gers were on the ropes as the Portuguese outfit looked to put the game out of sight before half-time, and they made it 3-1 when Emmanuel Fernandez headed into his own net from William Gomes’s corner kick.
Rangers boss Danny Rohl made a host of changes before the hour mark, with perhaps one eye on their league fixture away to Hibernian on Sunday as they mount a title challenge.
Nicolas Raskin came close to cutting the deficit just past the hour mark as he tried his luck from distance with a powerful strike, but Diogo Costa did well to get down low and turn the ball behind.
In the end, Porto comfortably saw out the final moments with ease, coasting to a vital victory that secures sixth place and automatic passage into the last 16.
Rangers, meanwhile, exit the Europa League in the league phase/group stage for the first time since the 2018/19 campaign.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Rodrigo Mora (Porto)