Sport

Rangers hold out

Rangers are back mixing with the best in Europe after this battling performance at the Ennio Tardini Stadium last night

Thu Aug 26 1999 - 01:00

Rangers are back mixing with the best in Europe after this battling performance at the Ennio Tardini Stadium last night. They now go into today's Champions League draw alongside Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea. A goal from substitute Johan Walem gave Rangers a desperate last 30 minutes, but their 2-0 lead from the first leg of this third round qualifier proved enough.

The players did a jig of delight at the end as the supporters lapped up the moment.

Rangers had to dig deep, especially in the first half when Parma had the majority of the possession but could not make the break through.

Rangers manager Dick Advocaat sprang a surprise by excluding Scotland winger Neil McCann from his starting line-up.

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Instead Polish international Darius Adamczuk, a free transfer signing from Dundee in the summer, was drafted in presumably to stiffen up the midfield.

French keeper Lionel Charbonnier retained his place for Rangers after showing he had recovered from a knee injury in the 4-1 victory against Dundee United at the weekend.

Parma's season does not start until the weekend but they warmed up for the game by lifting the Italian Super Cup with a 2-1 win against AC Milan.

Parma, who finished fourth in Serie A last season, have been very impressive in recent years in Europe. They lifted the UEFA Cup for the second time in four years in May, after beating Rangers along the way.

As expected the Italians began by putting Rangers under intense pressure in an attempt to peg back the two-goal deficit.

But they had to wait until 69th minute to pull one back. A dreadful error by Charbonnier saw the goalkeeper allow a 20-yard free-kick from Walem to spill out of his hands and trickle over the line.

Walem's goal left Rangers facing an anxious half-hour and Parma twice almost pulled level on aggregate.

But survive they did - to spark a night of wild celebrations in the Govan corner of Glasgow.

Parma: Buffon, Lassissi, Torrisi, Thuram, Fuser, Baggio, Boghossian, Vanoli, Ortega, Crespo, Di Vaio. Subs Not Used: Micillo, Benarrivo, Breda, Serena, Walem, Maini, Stanic.

Rangers: Charbonnier, Porrini, Moore, Amoruso, Vidmar, Reyna, B Ferguson, Van Bronckhorst, Adamczuk, Wallace, Mols. Subs Not Used: Niemi, Hendry, McCann, I Ferguson, Albertz, Johansson, Amato. Booked: Wallace, Amoruso.

Referee: K Nilsson (Sweden).