Auxerre - 2 Rangers - 2:Rangers booked their place in the knockout stages of the Uefa Cup with a battling draw in France last night.

Nacho Novo maintained his 100 per cent scoring record in the group stages to cancel out Ireneusz Jelen's opener, before Kris Boyd levelled the scoreline again after Daniel Niculae had restored Auxerre's lead.

The result guarantees Rangers European football into the New Year before the visit of Partizan Belgrade in their final group game. Wins over Livorno and Maccabi Haifa had propelled Rangers to the top of Group A after the first two games and they knew a point at the Abbe Deschamps Stadium would be enough to see them safely through to the knockout stages.

It is the first time in 35 years both Celtic and Rangers will feature in European competition after Christmas.

Paul Le Guen named the same 11 players who defeated Hearts at the weekend to move them into second place in the Scottish Premier League. Back-to-back wins over Dunfermline and Hearts meant confidence was high in the Rangers camp as they prepared to face a team sitting 12th in Ligue 1 and bottom of their Uefa Cup group.

But the Ibrox side had not reckoned on the impact Jelen would make on the game. The Poland striker pounced on a long ball from Younes Kaboul before racing into the box and slotting low past a helpless Allan McGregor in the 30th minute.

Only the woodwork denied Auxerre a second goal when Oumar Kalabane's header crashed off the crossbar.

Instead, it was Rangers who found the back of the net after 61 minutes. A Dado Prso ball into the box fell kindly to the feet of Novo who stabbed home with from eight yards.

Pedretti was replaced by Niculae after 75 minutes and it proved to be an inspired substitution when he netted within seconds of being on the park.

But Rangers grabbed the point they needed to see them through to the last 32 when the ball broke to Boyd and he rammed home with 84 minutes gone.

AUXERRE: Cool, Jaures, Kalabane, Kaboul, Sagna, Pedretti (Niculae 75), Cheyrou, Akale, Thomas, Pieroni, Jelen (Ba 80). Subs Not Used: Sauvage, Martin, Vadocz, Traore, Lejeune. Booked: Kaboul. Goals: Jelen 31, Niculae 75.

RANGERS: McGregor, Svensson, Hutton, Smith (Rodriguez 20), Adam, Ferguson, Hemdani, Clement, Prso (Sionko 67), Novo (Sebo 81), Kris Boyd. Subs Not Used: Letizi, Rae, Buffel, N'Diaye. Goals: Novo 62, Kris Boyd 84.

Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden).