CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIER: Copenhagen 1 - Ramgers 2A late strike by Shota Arveladze fired Rangers into the Champions League for the first time in three seasons. Mikel Arteta had given Rangers the lead from the penalty spot but a late leveller from Alvaro Santos looked to have take the tie into extra-time.

But Arveladze had other ideas and his goal was worth an estimated £10 million to the cash-strapped club. It was also the send-off captain Barry Ferguson had wanted to give before leaving for the English Premiership.

It was also a bad-tempered opening with Copenhagen trying to exploit Fernando Ricksen's notorious temper. Todi Jonsson over-reacted to challenges from the Dutchman. It was Jonsson's strike partner, Sibusiso Zuma, who was first to be booked, in the 29th minute for barging Zura Khizanishvili and the Georgian was also shown a yellow card for his retaliation. Roll was booked in the 45th minute for a trip on Ricksen, and referee Siric booked the Dutchman for a challenge which sparked a brief melee.

Rangers knew they were 45 minutes away from dropping out of the Champions League but within seven had netted the away goal they had needed as the minimum requirement.

Michael Ball fired in a drive which goalkeeper Balazs Raboczki could only parry. Mols was intent on getting to the rebound but was prevented by Urmas Rooba, who was booked after the referee pointed at the spot. Arteta's blasted the ball home to give his side a 52nd-minute lead.

Roll headed off target from a corner as Rangers tried to hang on, with Bob Malcolm having come on for the injured Berg. But Malcolm failed to head away a ball into the box and Santos atoned for his miss by stooping to head past Stefan Klos.

Seven minutes remained and extra time looked inevitable until Arveladze connected with Christian Nerlinger's header to score.

Everton manager David Moyes, who had travelled to assess Ferguson, will have noted the captain's will to win was still very much intact.

FC COPENHAGEN: Raboczki, Albrechtsen, Svensson, Tobiasen, Rooba, Norregaard, Nielsen, Mykland, Roll Larsen, Jonsson, Zuma. Subs: Kihlstedt, Pettersson, Zivkovic, Christiansen, Svard, Moller, Dos Santos.

RANGERS: Klos, Ricksen, Berg, Khizanishvili, Ball, Arteta, Ferguson, Nerlinger, Arveladze, de Boer, Mols. Subs: Malcolm, Vanoli, Thompson, Capucho, Ross, McGregor, Hughes.

Referee: Zeljko Siric (Croatia).