Rangers frustrated by battling Greeks

RANGERS’ hopes of progressing to the last 16 of the UEFA cup were dented last night after being held to a goalless draw by Panathinaikos at Ibrox.

Rangers now face a daunting trip to Athens for the second leg next week needing to score to keep their European hopes alive.

Walter Smith persisted with the 4-5-1 formation which he had favoured in the Champions League but this time Lee McCulloch was given the nod in the lone striker role. On-loan Fulham midfielder Steve Davis made his debut while Nacho Novo earned a first start since November.

The Spaniard was up for the challenge, pouncing on McCulloch’s header with two minutes gone only to send a left-footed drive straight at goalkeeper Mario Galinovic.

The Greeks retaliated, Mikael Nilsson feeding Marcelo Mattos and his long-range effort dipped just over the crossbar.

At the other end, Giannis Goumas’s clearance broke to Davis 30 yards out, who forced Galinovic to dive smartly to his left to block the powerful effort.

A blunder from Goumas then almost gifted Rangers the opener when he tried to knock Barry Ferguson’s header to the goalkeeper. The pass was poor and he failed to hold off Novo, who could have claimed his seventh goal of the season but for Galinovic’s frantic clearance.

Novo then collected a long ball from Brahim Hemdani only to fire off the legs of the goalkeeper.

Rangers were out of the traps quickly after the restart. McCulloch squandered a great chance to break the deadlock from Adam’s corner, sending a header fizzing past the upright.

With just over 20 minutes to go, Daniel Cousin was thrown into the action in place of Adam, making his first appearance since agreeing his move to Fulham three weeks ago. FIFA continue to drag their heels on whether to sanction Cousin’s £3 million move to Fulham or not and thus he was allowed to play.

Galinovic then denied Ferguson’s point-blank effort before clawing Novo’s rebound shot from the gaping goal. At the death Allan McGregor pushed a Nilsson cross straight to Dame Ndoye but the Rangers goalkeeper punched his shot to safety.

RANGERS: McGregor, Broadfoot, Cuellar, Weir, Papac, Novo (Burke 81), Ferguson, Davis, Hemdani, Adam (Cousin 67), McCulloch.

PANATHINAIKOS: Galinovic, Nilsson, Morris, Goumas, Vyntra, Ndoye, Tziolis, Mattos, Simao, Karagounis, Salpigidis (Postiga 66).