Rangers drew 1-1 with Unirea Urzicnei in Romania as their battle for Champions League survival comes to a finale. Late goals from Lee McCulloch and Marius Onofras ensured a pulsating end to this sodden match.
Allan McGregor was Rangers saviour for much of the game but could do nothing about the strike which denied his side a stunning three points.
Rangers had gone into the match hoping to breathe life into their Champions League hopes, or at least strengthen their prospects for a place in the Europa League. Walter Smith opted for his traditional 4-1-4-1 European set-up with rookie 17-year-old Danny Wilson starting alongside veteran Davie Weir in the heart of the defence.
McCulloch himself had shaken off a thigh strain to keep his place in the side which had been beaten 4-1 by the Romanians at Ibrox last time out.
Rangers started brightly, with Kevin Thomson and Steven Naismith making the most of the conditions to harry the opposition defence. At the other end keeper Allan McGregor kept his side in the game with a string of saves early on as Rangers began to show signs of the defensive weaknesses which have seen them pinned to the bottom of their group.
The second half saw Rangers determinedly show a more physical side to their game. They could have taken the lead through Miller on 62 minutes, but the striker hit a poor effort straight to keeper Giedrius Arlauskis.
Another chance presented itself on 78 minutes when the ball broke for McCulloch as Rangers piled forward. He shouldered away a challenge before hitting a solid shot on goal which proved too difficult for Arlauskis, who watched it slither past him.
The goal sparked the match to life and instigated a spate of substitutions on both sides. Nacho Novo came on for Rangers, and it was his mistake which opened the door for Onofras’ eqauliser on 87 minutes.
His loose pass in attack gave away possession and Unirea urged the ball upfield. The long ball was knocked down to substitute Onofras and he needed just one touch before unleashing a stunning strike into the top left corner of McGregor’s goal.
The result sees Rangers remain bottom of the group, but still in contention to qualify for the knockout stages.
