A new Scottish season has a familiar pattern, with Rangers already in pole position in the Bell's premier division. Two goals from Marco Negri left Hearts broken and complaining at the injustice of it all at Ibrox last night. Alex Cleland added a third before substitute Colin Cameron got a late consolation for Hearts.
Rangers manager Walter Smith is anxious about the mounting number of injuries to his defence as next week's Champions' League second qualifying round first leg tie against Gothenburg approaches.
Lorenzo Amorouso is already certain to miss the first leg after having an operation on an Achilles injury yesterday.
Rangers: Goram, Cleland, Stensaas, Porrini, Moore (Gattuso 81), Bjorklund, Thern, Ferguson, Negri, Albertz, Laudrup. Subs Not Used: Durie, Andersen. Goals: Cleland 85, Negri 39, 40.
Hearts: Rousset, Frail, Pointon, Weir, Murray, Ritchie, Salvatori, Flogel (Cameron 46), Hamilton (Adam 73), Fulton, McCann. Subs Not Used: Horn. Booked: Pointon, Salvatori, Frail, Rousset, Weir. Goals: Cameron 87. Att: 48,257
Referee: Stewart Dougal (Glasgow).
