Group E Rangers 2, Vfb Stuttgart 1:If the magnitude of Rangers' task in progressing from a group which includes the champions of France and Germany, along with Barcelona, was apparent before kick-off here last night, it had been completely forgotten by full time.
Stuttgart, who were even afforded a 56th-minute lead, were humbled by an outstanding final half hour from Walter Smith's team as goals from Charlie Adam and Jean-Claude Darcheville were enough to ensure Rangers head to Lyon in a fortnight with more optimism than many people would have thought probable.
Stuttgart wasted little time in demonstrating their intent, Mario Gomez clipping a shot against a post after a sublime cross from Roberto Hilbert within three minutes. Rangers appeared shell-shocked during those troublesome opening stages but they could have taken solace from Stuttgart's last visit to Ibrox. On that occasion, in 2003, the home side were outplayed for almost the entire match but somehow won 2-1.
Last night, Rangers improved in the remainder of the first half and should have opened the scoring after 33 minutes but Darcheville shot straight at Stuttgart's goalkeeper, Raphael Schafer, when sent clean through.
What problems the German champions did cause largely emanated from the Rangers defender Carlos Cuellar, who was guilty of cheaply conceding possession on several occasions.
With Rangers' captain Barry Ferguson in the dressingroom to receive stitches for a head wound, Stuttgart took the lead 10 minutes after the interval. Sami Khedira's cross from the left flank prompted chaos in the home defence and Cacau supplied a dummy from which Gomez coolly flicked the ball into the Rangers net.
It was then the home side's turn to be adventurous, and they did not disappoint. Adam curled an angled right-foot shot past Schafer five minutes later after fine build-up play by Alan Hutton.
Hutton was instrumental again as Darcheville claimed the winner from the penalty spot, the full-back having been caught late and high by Fernando Meira inside the area. Darcheville's goal, driven low to Schafer's right, prompted the kind of euphoric scenes not seen at Ibrox since Rangers' run to the last 16 of the Champions League two seasons ago. Maybe the unthinkable is possible after all.
Guardian Service
RANGERS: McGregor, Hutton, Cuellar, Weir, Papac, Hemdani, Whittaker (Faye 86), Ferguson, Adam (Beasley 67), Thomson, Darcheville (Novo 83). Subs not used: Carroll, Boyd, Broadfoot, Cousin. Booked: Hutton, Thomson, Faye.
VFB STUTTGART: Schafer, Osorio, Tasci, Fernando Meira, Boka, Pardo, Hilbert, Khedira (Basturk 77), Da Silva (Ewerthon 70), Cacau, Gomez. Subs not used: Langer, Beck, Farnerud, Marica, Pischorn. Booked: Fernando Meira, Pardo.
Referee: Stefano Farina (Italy).
