Uefa Chmapions League: A late goal from Ross McCormack earned Rangers a draw against the odds in Porto last night to keep their Champions League dream alive.
The youngster grabbed the leveller with just seven minutes to go to cancel out Lisandro's header and hand the Scottish champions a precious point.
The result should also help under-pressure Rangers manager Alex McLeish to hold on to his job. Rangers enjoyed the best possible start to their Champions League campaign when they earned a battling 3-2 win over Porto at Ibrox in the opening game of the competition.
And they knew another decent result against the Portuguese giants at the Stadio Dragao last night would be a massive boost as they attempt to become the first Scottish club to reach the knockout stages.
A great achievement, maybe, but this game had been overshadowed by the fate of McLeish, after the Rangers boss was told by chairman David Murray his position would be reviewed in early December.
Porto coach Co Adriaanse added extra spice to the game by claiming he was offered McLeish's job earlier in the year - claims furiously denied by Rangers - but the build-up to the game was more gripping than most of the action on the pitch in the first half.
McLeish admitted he would be unlikely to opt for all-out attack but Rangers struggled to breach the halfway line throughout most of the opening 45 minutes, much less manage any chances on goal.
And the home side picked up where they left off after the break - putting the Rangers goal under pressure. On 60 minutes Bosingwa delivered a cross to the back post and both Lisandro and Sotirios Kyrgiakos jumped for the ball. The Porto player connected with the header to nod past the helpless Ronald Waterreus from six yards.
Rangers immediately made a change, swapping Alex Rae for forward Steven Thompson, in the hope of hauling themselves back into the game.
And just when it looked like Rangers had no chance of salvaging anything from the game, they stunned their hosts by pulling a goal back with seven minutes to go.
Chris Burke did well to cut the ball back into the path of his fellow substitute McCormack to bullet home from 10 yards and hand Rangers a crucial point.
FC PORTO: Vitor Baia, Cesar Peixoto, Pepe, Pedro Emanuel (Hugo Almeida 45), Bosingwa, Diego (Bruno Alves 64), Paulo Assuncao, Gonzalez, Quaresma, Lopez, Jorginho. Subs Not Used: Helton, Ricardo Costa, Ibson, McCarthy, Ivanildo. Booked: Quaresma. Goals: Lopez 60.
RANGERS: Waterreus, Murray, Kyrgiakos, Andrews, Ricksen, Lovenkrands (Burke 78), Ferguson, Hemdani, Alex Rae (Thompson 62), Namouchi, Jeffers (McCormack 76). Subs Not Used: Klos, Malcolm, Pierre-Fanfan, Hutton. Booked: Hemdani, Murray, Ferguson. Goals: McCormack 83.
Referee: H Fandel (Germany).
