Rangers will have it all to do next week in the return leg in Greece after this goalless draw at Ibrox in the first leg of their UEFA Cup round of 32 tie against Panathinaikos.
The home team created some gilt-edged chances, but some inspired saves by Pana keeper Mario Galinovic kept the Ibrox attack at bay.
The visitors had a late chance to snatch an undeserved victory through Dame N'Doye, but an excellent save by Allan McGregor denied the striker.
Rangers were first to threaten through Nacho Novo but his shot was straight at Galinovic. Marcelo Mattos then hit a long-range effort over before Rangers nearly made the breakthrough.
On-loan midfielder Steven Davis, making his debut, struck a superb shot from 25 yards, but the keeper made a tremendous save diving to his left.
The visitors' keeper again did well to block Novo's shot after Ioannis Goumas was short with a back header and did even better to save at the feet of Novo, after Charlie Adam's crossfield ball put the striker through on goal.
Rangers stepped up the pace after the break and Lee McCulloch headed wide from Adam's corner when he might have done better.
Galinovic produced a magnificent double save to deny Rangers 20 minutes from time. First the keeper was at full stretch to get a hand to Barry Ferguson's powerful volley from 18 yards, then he reacted well to parry Novo's shot from the rebound.
From the resulting corner by Novo, David Weir's header was held by the keeper under the bar.
N'Doye wasted a good chance for the visitors near the end when he screwed his shot wide. Shortly after the striker tested McGregor with a powerful shot, which the keeper was happy to parry to leave the game goalless.