Rangers continue winning ways

Rangers 3 Graz AK 0

The Rangers renaissance continued as second-half goals from Nacho Novo, Shota Arveladze and Hamed Namouchi secured a convincing victory over Graz AK at Ibrox tonight.

With 14 wins from their last 15 matches, Alex McLeish’s men are hot on the trail of Celtic in the SPL and now all but certain to qualify for the knock-out stages from their UEFA Cup group.

This European victory came on the back of a 5-0 romp in Poland last month at the expense of whipping boys Amica Wronki.

The Poles were beaten 3-1 earlier today by AZ Alkmaar, who also have a 100% record from their two games, and it is to Holland that Rangers must travel next week with an aim to make the final group fixture, at home to Auxerre next month, a formality as far as progression is concerned.

McLeish had been on the brink of the sack following the first round loss away to Maritimo, but having scraped through that tie on penalties they have developed a steely desire which has seen to a previously invincible Celtic side twice on this ground.

No-one was expecting this match to be anything like the frenzied, ill-disciplined and controversy-laden spectacle that Saturday’s Old Firm derby had been, when Rangers had won 2-0 on a day when two Hoops were sent off.

As a spectacle, this game could not have been a greater contrast as Ibrox was lacking in atmosphere despite the filled seats, and for half of the game at least the Rangers players were also lacking in ideas.

The Austrians were able to settle quickly and it was not until the 18th minute that Bob Malcolm forced the visitors’ goalkeeper Andreas Schranz into a serious save.

Malcolm, who was back in the side in place of the suspended Alex Rae, rarely contributes goals and it was significant that the only other home player to force Schranz into a save before the break was centre-back Marvin Andrews, who had remained upfield following a corner.

Indeed, it was goalkeeper Stefan Klos who Rangers had to thank for keeping them on level terms at half-time after the German had been forced to race off his line to make a block to deny Joachim Standfest.

Standfest had been put beyond the home defence via a swift counter-attack after Peter Lovenkrands made a mess of the one time he was in the clear himself, the Dane going on to waste another good opportunity soon afterwards with a woeful finish from an angle.

Rangers had looked lethargic throughout a first half which also saw Gregory Vignal replaced at left-back by Michael Ball.

No doubt words had been exchanged in the home dressing room as there was at last a sense of purpose about Rangers’ play in the second 45 minutes.

Hamed Namouchi caused the Austrians to panic with a swift one-two with Fernando Ricksen, and Gernot Plassnegger was booked in the 50th minute for stopping the move illegally before it reached the box.

The free-kick routine was not as impressive however, with Malcolm blasting well over.

Namouchi was the man who looked most likely to make things happen, having been handed what appeared to be a free role behind the two strikers.

The French-Tunisian had a hand in Novo’s 58th-minute opener, having been clattered by Graz captain Anton Ehmann to concede the free-kick.

Ricksen took it, Prso and Ehmann challenged in the air, but when neither made contact it was left to the Spaniard, who had arrived at the back post at speed, to volley home from close range – having been the only man on the pitch to have anticipated such a possibility.

The former Dundee man might yet find himself in trouble with the Scottish Football Association for his cameo role in the scenes at the weekend, but tonight’s strike was clinical.

Klos was required once more however when Graz substitute Matthias Dollinger crossed to find the head of dangerman Roland Kollmann, who had lost his marker in the box.

Klos made the save look easy, but Kollmann knew he should have given the German no chance from his side’s best chance of the game.

Arveladze replaced Lovenkrands in the 78th minute and wrapped up the three points four minutes from time by scuffing the ball over the line from no more than a yard out.

Another Ricksen free-kick had been Graz’s undoing, with Prso heading the ball across goal from a position at the back post and although Plassnegger was able to block Namouchi’s effort on the line, the Georgian was on hand to follow up.

Namouchi made it 3-0 with the last kick of the game, sliding in at the back post to convert a cross from Novo after the Spaniard had taken on and beaten men on the right of the box.