Rangers edged close to the UEFA Cup quarter finals after a 2-0 win at home to Werder Bremen on Thursday.
Goals either side of half-time from Gabon international Daniel Cousin and Northern Ireland midfielder Steven Davis, assisted by horrendous errors from Bremen goalkeeper Tim Wiese, handed Rangers an important first leg lead.
It was a special night for Rangers captain Barry Ferguson who was setting a new Scottish record with his 77th appearance in European club competitions. And his side almost got off to a perfect start with only 60 seconds on the clock. Charlie Adam's first time shot from 20 yards looked to be heading towards the top corner until Wiese dived to his left to push the ball away. Although Werder Bremen were the visitors they were doing most of the pressing early on, without being able to test Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor. Adam's earlier shot clearly gave the midfielder a huge confidence boost and in the 13th minute he tried an audacious lob from the halfway line, after spotting Wiese off his line, but the ball flew harmlessly over.
The German side tested McGregor for the first time in the match in the 22nd minute. Swedish striker Markus Rosenberg let fly from 25 yards, but the Rangers keeper was equal to the task, acrobatically pushing the ball round the post.
In the 25th minute Adam came close for a third time. The Rangers midfielder's free-kick from the edge of the box took a deflection and bounced awkwardly in front of Wiese, who slapped the ball away.
Adam was clearly in the mood and in the 34th minute he took another free-kick, 30 yards from goal, which landed on the top of the net.
Despite these chances for Rangers it was Bremen who were controlling possession. McGregor was again called into action in the 44th minute, to save from Croatian Jurica Vranjes' header.
Keeper errorsBut in the 45th minute, from out of nowhere, Rangers took the lead. Cousin decided to try his luck from 35 yards but although his shot contained plenty of power it was straight at the Bremen goalkeeper. However, Wiese made an appalling blunder, pushing the ball up into the air and then failing to stop it dropping down behind him into the back of the net.
And at the start of the second half the Werder Bremen shot stopper was at fault again as Rangers doubled their advantage. Davis slid the ball into the path of Cousin but although he struck a decent shot from 16 yards Wiese should have been able to save comfortably instead of merely pushing it out in front of him.
The ball fell straight to Davis who slid in and poked it into the corner of the net and increase Rangers' lead in the 47th minute.
Bremen knew an away goal would put them right back in the tie and in the 75th minute Danish player Daniel Jensen tried his luck with a low drive which McGregor did well to save.
Rangers should have made sure of a quarter-final place in the 87th minute. Lee McCulloch, who had replaced Cousin in the 75th minute, knocked the ball under goalkeeper Wiese but with an empty goal at his mercy he hesitated, allowing Brazilian defender Naldo to make a tremendous last gasp tackle.
However, Rangers hung on to their two goal advantage to put themselves in the driving seat ahead of the second leg on Thursday, 13 March