points this afternoon with a 2-0 win over Dundee at
Dens Park - but it took two late goals to break the
deadlock in what was a less than impressive display
from the Ibrox men.
Manager Alex McLeish made three changes from the side
that dropped two precious points against Inverness
Caledonian Thistle with Michael Ball, Bob Malcolm and
Dado Prso replacing Thomas Buffel, Bojan Djordjic and
Steven Thompson. Barry Ferguson returned to a ground
where on his last appearance he missed two penalties
in a 2-2 draw as the 2002-03 League Championship drew
to its' nail-biting close.
It was a bitterly cold day in Dundee with Rangers
suitably wearing all white as they attacked up the
Dens Park slope from the whistle.
The first-half alas was less than memorable, the first
noteworthy action coming on the half-hour when Prso
was yellow-carded for going down in the penalty area
following a challenge from Bobby Mann. To many
onlookers it looked like there had been contact, but
Referee Iain Brines thought otherwise.
Four minutes later Neil Barrett was inches away from
making contact with an inswinging cross from Calum
Macdonald as the home continued to make most of the
running.
Sotirios Kyrgiakos was next in the referee's notebook
for a foul on Steve Lovell in 35 minutes, but a dire
half ended goalless.
Rangers emerged from the dressing room with a greater
purpose about their play - Prso being denied by Mann
nine minutes in when his shot on the turn from a Nacho
Novo lay-off was blocked.
Buffel replaced Malcolm in 58 minutes as the minutes
ticked away.
With time running out Rangers started to apply a sense
of urgency to their play - Prso's header from a Buffel
cross being held by Dens goalkeeper Derek Soutar in 78
minutes, then two minutes later the Belgian's
eighteen-yard volley from a Gregory Vignal cross was
touched over the bar by Soutar.
The pressure finally paid off from the resultant
corner when Ricksen's cross found the head of Marvin
Andrews - and Rangers finally had the lead in 81
minutes.
Sixty seconds later a solo Prso run produced an
eighteen-yard shot held by Soutar.
The second goal was merely delayed however - Fernando
Ricksen converting a Prso cutback in 83 minutes to
secure the points.
There was an injury worry for the Light Blues four
minutes later when goal hero Andrews limped off to be
replaced by Thompson, but the knock does not appear to
be serious enough to keep him out of the Hampden Final
in seven days time.
Youngster Ross McCormack replaced Nacho Novo in injury
time - the former Dundee player departing to an
ovation from the travelling support.
Afterwards a relieved McLeish summarised:
"It was a hard game. We changed things around in the
second-half, gaining a succession of corners. I was
never concerned that we would run out of time - a goal
can change a game in a matter of seconds. There's no
guarantee that either Rangers or Celtic will win every
game."
DUNDEE Soutar; Kitamirike, Wilkie, Mann, Macdonald;
McManus (Robertson 73), Barrett (Sutton 84), Brady,
Smith; Lovell (Conway 90), Caballero
UNUSED SUBS Cerdeira, Dubourdeau, Sancho
RANGERS Waterreus; Ross, Andrews (Thompson 87),
Kyrgiakos, Ball; Ricksen, Ferguson, Malcolm (Buffel
58), Vignal; Prso, Novo (McCormack 90)
UNUSED SUBS G. Smith, A. Rae, Burke, Namouchi
REFEREE Iain Brines
Attendance 9,876