Uefa Cup

[bluebear]

Congrats last night to Newcastle who booked their passage into the next round of the UEFA cup.

Middlesborough blew their chance by losing 2-0 to Villareal. Rangers kept on course to qualify with a 3-0 win at home and thats 2 wins out of 2 now. Hearts also made a breakthrough by winning 2-1 away from hom so they still have a chance to get through even though this was their first point scoring match from 3.

The first 3 from each group qualify to the next round where they are joined by the 3rd placed teams from the Champions league and both cups go back to a knockout competition.

[Jockstar]

A great result for the Gers Last night. Max points and no goals scored against us.

Thursday, November 25, 2004

Rangers 3-0 Graz AK: FT Report

PA

The Rangers renaissance continued as second-half goals from Nacho Novo, Shota Arveladze and Hamed Namouchi secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Graz AK.

With 14 wins from their last 15 matches, Alex McLeish's men are hot on the trail of Celtic in the SPL and now all but certain to qualify for the knock-out stages from their UEFA Cup group.

# McLeish delighted with win

The Austrians were able to settle quickly and it was not until the 18th minute that Bob Malcolm forced the visitors' goalkeeper Andreas Schranz into a serious save.

Malcolm, who was back in the side in place of the suspended Alex Rae, rarely contributes goals and it was significant that the only other home player to force Schranz into a save before the break was centre-back Marvin Andrews, who had remained upfield following a corner.

Indeed, it was goalkeeper Stefan Klos who Rangers had to thank for keeping them on level terms at half-time after the German had been forced to race off his line to make a block to deny Joachim Standfest.

Standfest had been put beyond the home defence via a swift counter-attack after Peter Lovenkrands made a mess of the one time he was in the clear himself, the Dane going on to waste another good opportunity soon afterwards with a woeful finish from an angle.

Rangers had looked lethargic throughout a first half which also saw Gregory Vignal replaced at left-back by Michael Ball.

No doubt words had been exchanged in the home dressing room as there was at last a sense of purpose about Rangers' play in the second 45 minutes.

Hamed Namouchi caused the Austrians to panic with a swift one-two with Fernando Ricksen, and Gernot Plassnegger was booked in the 50th minute for stopping the move illegally before it reached the box.

The free-kick routine was not as impressive however, with Malcolm blasting well over.

Namouchi was the man who looked most likely to make things happen, having been handed what appeared to be a free role behind the two strikers.

The French-Tunisian had a hand in Novo's 58th-minute opener, having been clattered by Graz captain Anton Ehmann to concede the free-kick.

Ricksen took it, Dado Prso and Ehmann challenged in the air, but when neither made contact it was left to the Spaniard, who had arrived at the back post at speed, to volley home from close range - having been the only man on the pitch to have anticipated such a possibility.

Klos was required once more, however, when Graz substitute Matthias Dollinger crossed to find the head of dangerman Roland Kollmann, who had lost his marker in the box.

Klos made the save look easy, but Kollmann knew he should have given the German no chance from his side's best chance of the game.

Shota Arveladze replaced Lovenkrands in the 78th minute and wrapped up the three points four minutes from time by scuffing the ball over the line from no more than a yard out.

Namouchi made it 3-0 with the last kick of the game, sliding in at the back post to convert a cross from Novo after the Spaniard had taken on and beaten men on the right of the box.

# McLeish delighted with win

Rangers manager Alex McLeish praised Nacho Novo for his match-winning performance against Graz tonight - and insisted he is confident the Spaniard will also be cleared of allegations that he stamped on a Celtic player last weekend.

He said: 'I think he is getting better, and the more he plays in European games and big games like the weekend - and the more he plays well - he is going to develop a mental edge as well as the ability he is improving on as well.

'If we lose him to suspension it is a blow and something managers can't legislate for.

'We have other options if it doesn't work out for Nacho. But we believe he has pulled out of the challenge; he has apologised to the player, and it is clear.

'We have got to keep our fingers crossed he gets cleared.'

Shota Arveladze and Hamed Namouchi supplied the other goals to produce a final scoreline which flattered the home side.

Rangers were poor in the first 45 minutes and relied on goalkeeper Stefan Klos to keep them on level terms as the German made an excellent block to deny Joachim Standfest, who had been put clean through on a counter-attack.

But McLeish insisted: 'I told him the important thing was to win. They didn't have to worry about the away goal, and there was still plenty of time for us to come back had Stefan not made that marvellous save.'

Rangers improved in the second half, after McLeish had told a number of players to switch positions.

He said: 'I don't think we had many chances in the first half. We changed the system a wee bit and asked the players to raise the tempo. We were a wee bit flat, understandably after the highs of the weekend.'

Rangers and next week's opponents AZ Alkmaar both look set to progress from the group, because as both have 100 per cent records.

McLeish said: 'We want to qualify first, and that's the bonus.'

Graz manager Walter Schachner was convinced the final scoreline - Namouchi netting with the last kick of the game - was harsh on his side.

He said: 'I do believe the 3-0 result was slightly unfair. Our tactics were working until the first goal.'