football with an impressive 2-0 win over Maccabi Haifa
at Ibrox this evening.
It was a result that leaves the Light Blues in a
strong position, three points clear of the Israelis
with Partizan Belgrade and Livorno drawing 1-1 in
Serbia in the other group game.
Manager Paul Le Guen made four changes from Saturday
with Allan McGregor, Karl Svensson, Jeremy Clement and
Dado Prso replacing Lionel Letizi (who suffered a back
injury in the warm-up), Sasa Papac (ineligible),
Julien Rodiguez and Thomas Buffel.
Rangers were out to restore the good name of Scottish
football after the Lisbon Lambs' shambles - and made
the perfect start in four minutes when Alan Hutton's
through-ball was head-flicked on by Kris Boyd enabling
Nacho Novo to outpace Alon Harazi before clipping the
ball home. It was the little Spaniard's first Ibrox
goal for fifteen months.
Three minutes later it was almost two when Boyd's
header from a Prso head-flick was touched over by
visiting goalkeeper Nir Davidovich.
Maccabi were not just here to make up the numbers
however - Gustavo Boccoli testing McGregor in nineteen
minutes after Roberto Colautti had cut the ball back
from the byeline following a Svensson error.
Charlie Adam was inches away with a 25-yard shot on
the half-hour mark, then six minutes later Boccoli's
low drive flashed across goal without any takers
following a Hutton error.
The interval arrived with just the one goal in it, but
immediately after the restart Rangers had the perfect
opportunity to make it 2-0 from the penalty spot,
seven minutes later. Cypriot Referee Costas Kapitanis
awarding the spot-kick for Xavier Anderson's foul on
Prso. Boyd however saw his effort saved by Davidovich
- the striker's first penalty miss for the Ibrox men.
Maccabi took heart from that let-off, and it took a
last gasp tackle from Novo of all people to deny
Colautti .
Rangers remained the likelier side to add to their
score however - Barry Ferguson's shot from a Steven
Smith cutback being turned wide by Davidovich in 55
minutes.
Midway through the second-half Le Guen made a double
substitution - Buffel and Filip Sebo replacing Prso
and Boyd.
McGregor made what was effectively his first save of
the game in 72 minutes when he blocked substitute Maor
Melikson's shot following a Harazi corner.
Two minutes later the game was regrettably interrupted
by a moron waving a Palestinian flag and wearing a top
with an image of the Pope. Incredibly the terrorist
sympathiser, no doubt a refugee from Lisbon, was
allowed to run the full length of the pitch before
attempting to handcuff himself to a goalpost before
being overpowered by stewards. He was led off to a
crescendo of booing from the 43,062 crowd.
As a reminder that this was a sporting occasion, Adam
almost sealed the win in 80 minutes with a header from
a Ferguson chip that flew over the bar.
The youngster did just that however eight minutes
later when he converted the second penalty of the
night, awarded this time when in a lightning break
Ferguson was upended by Xavir as he homed in on a
Buffel pass. It should have been a red card for the
Israeli, but the referee deemed a yellow would suffice
as Adam fought off the demands of Novo that he be
allowed to take the spot-kick.
The Israelis almost replied immediately with a bizarre
counter when Smith's clearance cannoned off Colautti
before skimming the crossbar.
Six minutes of injury time had to be endured before
Rangers secured their second win of the group stage,
and afterwards a contented Paul Le Guen reflected:
"This was a great result and performance. Maccabi
Haifa are a good side. Six points could be enough. The
draw in Belgrade was the best result we could have
hoped for. Our style is more suited to Europe."
RANGERS McGregor; Hutton, Hemdani, Svensson, Smith;
Novo, Ferguson, Clement, Adam (Rae 88); Boyd (Sebo
66), Prso (Buffel 66)
UNUSED SUBS Letizi, Bardsley, Rodriguez, N'Diaye
MACCABI HAIFA Davidovich; Harazi (Meshumar 85),
Keinan, Olarra, Magrashvili; Boccoli (Melikson 59),
Xavir, Anderson, Masudi (Arbeitman 80); Colautti,
Katan
UNUSED SUBS Al Madon, Swan, Gazal, Keise
REFEREE Costas Kapitanis (Cyprus)
Attendance 43,062