UEFA CUP LAST 16, SECOND LEG/Werder Bremen 1 Rangers 0 Rangers win 2-1 on agg:ALLAN McGREGOR was the Rangers hero as Walter Smith's men rode their luck in Bremen to reach the Uefa Cup quarter-finals.
His Werder Bremen counterpart Tim Wiese was the German team's culprit in the tie, and his two monumental mistakes at Ibrox last week proved decisive over the 180 minutes.
The visitors to the Weserstadion had to withstand a major onslaught from the hosts who took the lead in the 58th minute thanks to a moment of magic from Diego.
The Brazilian made space for himself with some superb skill on the edge of the box and then beat McGregor with a low left-footed shot across the goalkeeper and into the right corner.
Werder hit the crossbar through Boubacar Sanogo five minutes from time, but it was the goalkeeper McGregor's fingertips which prevented the close-range shot finding the net as he touched it against the woodwork.
Arron Hunt was one of three strikers in Werder's starting XI and the hosts wasted no time stamping their authority on the battle. Within two minutes, Daniel Jensen pulled the trigger from the right corner of the box and his shot flew past the left post before Markus Rosenberg failed to control a header from Per Mertesacker inside the danger area.
After Sebastian Boenisch dragged a 20-yard shot wide, Hugo Almeida nodded over after a cross from Hunt.
Rangers' Charlie Adam found himself with time and space inside the Werder box after a rare attacking foray but Mertesacker made a timely interception.
Rosenberg then forced Allan McGregor into a strong save with his shot from 16 yards out on the right and unmarked Tim Borowski volleyed over from close range.
McGregor had further saves to deny a 14-yard strike from Jensen in the 24th minute and then a shot from Patrick Owomoyela.
Nacho Novo wasted a golden chance to break after the Spaniard's shot from a sharp angle was punched away by Wiese.
There were no changes after the break, and the pattern remained the same.
Bremen launched one furious assault after another, with McGregor stopping two more fierce shots from Jensen in the 50th and 55th minutes.
After Diego's goal Werder poured forward but Sanogo had the dramatic late chance to force the tie to extra-time but again McGregor was equal to the task.
WERDER BREMEN: Wiese, Owomoyela (Harnik 78), Mertesacker, Naldo, Boenisch, Jensen, Borowski, Hunt, Diego, Rosenberg, Hugo Almeida (Sanogo 66). Subs not used: Vander, Vranjes, Ozil, Tosic.
RANGERS: McGregor, Broadfoot, Weir, Cuellar, Papac, Hemdani, Dailly, Ferguson, Davis, Adam (Whittaker 57), Novo (McCulloch 78). Subs not used: Alexander, Buffel, Thomson, Boyd, Naismith. Booked: Adam.
Referee: Martin Hansson (Sweden).
