Few could have predicted that under pressure Rangers’ manager Alex McLeish could possibly survive the cauldron of the Estadio Dos Dragao, yet this draw must rate as one of the finest given the circumstances, in Rangers’ European history.
Six thousand Light Blue followers were present in the state of the art arena, built alongside the Das Antas where the Ibrox men had lost in 1983, with the Rangers line-up showing two changes from Saturday with Alex Rae and Peter Lovenkrands replacing Alan Hutton and Dado Prso.
McLeish had clearly set out a team to play a holding formation, setting out a 4-5-1 line-up with Franny Jeffers alone up front.
Porto attacked from the opening seconds - Quaresma cutting in from the left only to see his angled drive held by Ronald Waterreus.
Six minutes later Lopez Lisandro from a Quaresma cross was just over.
Rangers scarcely crossed the halfway line throughout the remainder of the first half, sitting back to absorb incessant pressure but the Portuguese side failed to create any further goal scoring opportunities and the half ended goal-less.
The home side restarted on the offensive - Lisandro’s flick from another Quaresma cross going wide. Then 60 seconds alter pepe, scorer of both goals at Ibrox, saw his 25 yard shot held by Waterreus.
The deadlock was finally broken in 59 minutes when Jose Bosingwa’s pinpoint free kick was headed into the roof of the net by Lisandro.
Steven Thompson immediately thereafter replaces Alex Rae but it would be two further substitutions that turned the game when McLeish introduced youngsters Ross McCormack and Chris Burke for the invisible Franny Jeffers and peter Lovenkrands in 74 and 76 minutes respectively.
The switch paid almost instant dividends as the pace and enthusiasm of the two youngsters turned the game in favour of the Scottish champions.
The scores were levelled in 82 minutes when Fernando Ricksen’s cross to the far post found the unmarked Burke whose header back across the face of the goal was rifled home by Ross mcCormack.
It was, incredibly, Rangers first goal since Bratislava on the 1st of November - a total of 398 minutes. But as the Gers fans celebrated there were still eight nail-biting minutes to go.
Porto went all out to retrieve the situation but Rangers were now just as likely to hit them on the break. However, only a miracle enabled the Ibrox goal to survive in 88 minutes when from a Quaresma cross Ronald Waterreus twice blocked shots from substitute Hugo Almeida and Ian Murray clearing off the line.
Rangers survived to achieve a noteworthy draw that guarantees European progress beyond Christmas either in the Champions League or the UEFA Cup - it’s now all down to Inter Milan at Ibrox on 6th December where a win will guarantee progress to the next round of the Champions League.
Afterward a defiant Alex McLeish summarised “I’m very pleased for both the players and the fans, I knew we were capable of getting a result. Luck has been against us in recent weeks but I knew I wasn’t a bad manger.”
“SPL results recently have not been good enough for Rangers standards but I was heartened by the warm welcome we received from fans at the airport.”
“We brought a depleted squad here with seven players missing, but we leave here with our self-respect intact. this is one of my proudest nights in football. It might mean I keep my job. I love being Rangers manager even through the pain. “
“I had no hesitation in introducing Ross McCormack, he is an expert at set pieces but also a goal poacher.”
Old friend and former Alkmaar manager, Porto coach Co Adriaanse said - “Rangers defended in numbers and denied us space. Rangers had one chance and scored one goal. We have dominated all games in this group and have been the better team in all games except the game in Milan - sometimes you need luck. It is now no longer in our own hands but I hope Inter Milan will be at full strength in Glasgow. I never said this was an easy task - both Inter and Rangers and strong teams. We have a young team that can improve.”
Porto : Vitor Baia, Cesar Peixoto, Pepe, Pedro Emanuel (Hugo Almeida 45), Bosingwa, Diego (Bruno Alves 64), Paulo Assuncao, Gonzalez, Ricardo Quaresma, Lopez Lisandro , Jorginho.
Subs Not Used: Helton, Ricardo Costa, Ibson, McCarthy, Ivanildo.
Booked : Quaresma.
Goal : Lopez 60.
Rangers : Waterreus, Murray, Kyrgiakos, Andrews, Ricksen, Lovenkrands (Burke 78), Ferguson, Hemdani, Alex Rae (Thompson 62), Namouchi, Jeffers (McCormack 76).
Subs Not Used: Klos, Malcolm, Pierre-Fanfan, Hutton.
Booked : Hemdani, Murray, Ferguson.
Goal : McCormack 83.
Att : 39,439
Ref : Herbert Fandel (Germany)