and second European trophy for Rangers this season,
the Ibrox men going down 0-2 to Zenit St. Petersburg
in Manchester.
Attendance 47,000
In truth, the Russian side were the better team - a
class apart and the best by far that Rangers have
played this season. Indeed they must surely be amongst
the favourites for next season's Champions League.
A Light Blue army estimated at perhaps 150,000 strong
had taken over Manchester today, bringing the city
centre almost to a complete standstill, or gridlock
The social phenomonan that is the 'Gers support
provided a colourful and spectacular attraction for a
city regenerated in recent years. The City of
Manchester Stadium, venue for the 2002 Commonwealth
Games, was bathed in sunshine with its' capacity crowd
comprising perhaps 75% Rangers followers.
Manager Walter Smith made three changes from Saturday
with Steve Davis, Brahim Hemdani and Jean-Claude
Darcheville replacing Christian Dailly, Nacho Novo and
the suspended Daniel Cousin. Former Ranger Fernando
Ricksen was named as a substitute for the Russians.
Rangers wore all-blue, with their Russian opponents in
all-white.
Swedish Referee Peter Frojdfeldt had taken charge of
this season's Champions League fixture between Celtic
and Barcelona in Glasgow earlier this season - his
only previous match involving a Scottish club.
Zenit started the more positive outfit, and threatened
in three minutes when Whittaker's error enabled Igor
Denisov to release Andrei Arshaven who shot into the
side-net.
Eight minutes later Radek Sirl's 35-yard free-kick was
held by Neil Alexander
Alexander was again called into action in seventeen
minutes when he held Konstantin Zyrianov's 25-yard
shot.
it was all Zenit at this stage - eleven minutes later
Aleksandr Anyukov's swerving drive was held at the
second attempt by the 'Gers goalkeeper.
Rangers survived - and as the interval approached came
more and more into the game. Indeed Kevin Thomson
really should have done better than hit a 22-yard
free-kick straight into the wall.
The first-half ended goalless - and Rangers had two
strong penalty claims turned down eight minutes after
the restart following Zenit goalkeeper's Vyacheslav
Malafeev's save from a Darcheville shot from a Davis
pass, firstly for handball against a Russian defender,
then as Barry Ferguson homed in on the loose ball he
had his heels clearly clicked.
The Scots were beginning to create chances - Whittaker
saw a shot deflected wide in 63 minutes, then seconds
later Davis' shot was cleared off the line by Anyukov.
In the next instant at the other end Arshavin was
through on goal and after rounding the outrushing
Alexander his saw his net-bound chip headed off the
line by Sasa Papac.
It was now a much more open game and it was clear that
the first goal was going to be crucial.
Sadly it fell to Zenit - Igor Denisov coolly netting
from a superb Arshavin pass.
Walter Smith recognised that he had to go for broke,
introducing Novo, Lee McCulloch and Kris Boyd for
Papac, Hemdani and Whittaker as Rangers quite
amazingly ended up playing 4-3-3.
Darcheville was almost through on a McCulloch
headflick in 88 minutes only for a last-gasp
intervention from Roman Shirokov.
Sixty seconds later a long throw from Ferguson broke
free in the box, but if anything too many Rangers
players went for the ball, and McCulloch shot over the
bar.
in the dying seconds Zenit clinched victory with a
second goal when man-of-the-match Arshavin released
Fatih Tekke down the left, his cutback being turned
into the net from point-blank range by Zyrianov.
Zenit were deserved victors, and as they were
presented with the trophy they were applauded
sportingly by both the Rangers players and fans - a
stark contrast from Seville 2003 when Porto, who had
outclassed their opponents, were booed as they mounted
the winners' rostram.
Afterwards a disappointed Walter Smith commented:
"I was obviously disappointed to lose. I felt Zenit
had the better of the first-half, but we came into the
game in the second. We lost the first goal at a bad
time, it changed the whole complexion of the game. We
might have had a penalty - sometimes you get these
decisions, sometimes you don't. I can't speak highly
enough of the players' efforts. We've played nineteen
matches against good European sides - tonight was our
64th game of the season."
Zenit Coach Dick Advocaat was understandably elated:
"I am very happy. We deserved to win. We were the
better team over the ninety minutes. Money has been
invested in Russia in new stadiums, good pitches, and
in youth development. I hoped to win a European trophy
with Rangers - what they have done this season has
been fantastic. Their fans were unbelievable today.
Tonight's game with Rangers was more difficult than
our semi-final against Bayern Munich."
ZENIT ST. PETERSBURG Malafeev; Anyukov, Krizanac,
Shirokov, Sirl; Zyrianov, Arshavin, Tymoschuk,
Denisov; Fatih Tekke, Fayzulin (Kim Dong Jin 89)
UNUSED SUBS Contofalsky, Radimov, Dominguez, Ricksen,
Ionov, Gorshkov
RANGERS Alexander; Broadfoot, Weir, Cuellar, Papac
(Novo 76); Davis, Hemdani (McCulloch 79), Ferguson,
Thomson, Whittaker (Boyd 84); Darcheville
UNUSED SUBS G. Smith, Adam, Dailly, Faye
REFEREE Peter Frojdfeldt (Sweden)