VIKTORIA ZIZKOV 2-0 RANGERS
Rangers face their earliest European exit in five years following an inept
and shambolic performance in Prague tonight where they lost two-nil to
Viktoria Zizkov.
A game played in a near-deserted stadium against a team few people had heard of prior to the draw may well spell both footballing and financial disaster
for the club, for there can be little prospect of overturning this deficit
in two weeks time at Ibrox.
It would be difficult for those not present in the Strahov Stadion to
appreciate just how bad Rangers were, but make no mistake this was a
performance that recalled memories of the Walter Smith era.
With just 3,427 spectators present the lack of atmosphere perhaps effected
the Ibrox men, who were caught cold in six minutes when a Straceny free kick
was headed home by Pikl.
Rocked by this early setback Rangers tried to respond in 13 minutes when a
Ricksen corner was headed just wide by Craig Moore but he home side were
looking much the more dangerous as was underlined in 20 minutes when Barry
Ferguson was short with a pass to Maurice Ross, who in turn left Stefan Klos
exposed but the goalkeeper was alert enough to clear the danger.
Straceny was causing all sorts of problems for the Ibrox defence, perhaps
exposing the lack of a natural left back, and in 34 minutes his deep cross
only just eluded the outstretched Janousek, but for minutes later Rangers
were presented with a golden opportunity to level matters when Spanish
referee Santiago Rodriguez awarded a penalty kick for a shove on Bob Malcolm
by Maros Klimpl as the Ranger rose to meet a Ricksen free kick.
Alas, Barry Ferguson chose this occasion to miss his first penalty for the
club, Pavel Kucera guessing correctly to hold the spot kick.
The half ended with Michal Smarda coming close on more than one occasion
with long-range free kicks as a one-paced Rangers team struggled to come to
terms with the game.
Rangers restarted on the offensive, perhaps stung by their mangers comments
and 25 yard free kick from Ricksen in 48 minutes produced a fine save from
Kucera who fisted the ball clear.
That proved to be a false dawn however. Within six minutes a bizarre
refereeing decision gave Viktoria an indirect free kick from a distance of
some 15 yards, which was twice taken before Straceny1s drive was cleared off
the line by Craig Moore.
Rangers lost Moore through a hip injury shortly afterwards and whilst Oz was
off the field receiving treatment Viktoria went two-nil ahead when a long
clearance by Kucera released Straceny clear on goal, his low drive leaving
Klos helpless.
Rangers were now in serious trouble and might even have lost a third two
minutes later when Smarda1s free kick presented Sabou with a free header
which he thankfully directed straight at Klos.
Sixty seconds later however it should have been two-one when a De Boer-
Arveladze move presented Ricksen with a golden opportunity only for the
Dutchman to miskick in front of goal, allowing the back-tracking Buryan to
clear off the line.
Rangers were in desperate need of an away goal and Peter Lovenkrands might
have produced it in 71 minutes when his cross cum shot from an Arveladze
pass struck the face of the crossbar.
With both Michael Mols and Russell Latapy on for the ineffective De Boer and
Cannigia Rangers threw everything at the Czech defence in the closing stages
although Klos was almost caught napping when a Smarda free kick from the
touchline forced him to turn the ball against the underside of the bar.
At the other end Barry Ferguson forced Kucera into a fabulous diving save in
injury time with a 22 yard drive. Then an Arveladze headed goal was
disallowed for pushing.
Had that strike stood the result would have been transformed, but when the
final whistle sounded shortly afterwards the home side celebrated what was a
truly epic victory for such a modest club.
The defeat can only be described as an absolute nightmare for Rangers, not
one of whose players will be able to look back with satisfaction on their
contribution to one of the worst results in Rangers1 European history.
RANGERS - Klos, Muscat, Ross, Malcolm, Moore (Konterman 63), Ricksen,
Ferguson, De Boer (Mols 74), Caniggia (Latapy 87), Arveladze, Lovenkrands.
UNUSED SUBS - McGregor, Dodds, Dowie, Gibson.
BOOKED - Ricksen 21, Moore 43, Ferguson 85, Malcolm 88
VIKTORIA ZIZKOV - Kucera, Buryan, Mlejnsky, Klimpl, Janousek (Kruty),
Smarda, Sabou, Scasny, Pikl, Straceny (Licka), Chihuri (Sebesta)
UNUSED SUBS - Vacek, Mikulik, Dirnbach, Chvatal
BOOKED - Smarda 41
Referee - Santiago Rodriguez