Rangers lose out to AZ

AZ Alkmaar 1 Rangers 0

Rangers’ unbeaten run came to an end in Alkmaar after an early goal from Denny Landzaat gave AZ a 1-0 win in this UEFA Cup tie in Holland.

The result was Rangers’ first reverse in 17 games and they must now avoid defeat at home to Auxerre in their final Group F fixture to join the Dutch side in the knockout stages of the UEFA Cup after Christmas.

Rangers were second-best on the night to AZ, who were the group’s lowest seeds when the draw was made back in September.

A huge slice of the pre-match hype concerned Fernando Ricksen’s return to the club which sold him for £3.6million four years ago, but he made minimal impact.

Instead, it was Landzaat who caught the eye early on, with Rangers having survived a couple of scary moments in the box before the Holland international netted in only the seventh minute.

Ricksen’s rebirth as a central midfielder meant Zura Khizanishvili operated as a makeshift right-back and the Georgian struggled as AZ attacked relentlessly down the left.

The goal came from that side of the pitch. Tim de Cler found Martijn Meerdink with a low cross and his simple lay-off was perfect for the onrushing Landzaat to stroke past an exposed Stefan Klos.

The German was called on to deny Landzaat a second in the 20th minute after he was put through on goal by another series of swift passes from a side which is currently ahead of Ajax and Feyenoord in the Dutch top flight.

Klos’ efforts were matched at the other end by AZ goalkeeper Henk Timmer, who produced a fine stop nine minutes before the break to deny Nacho Novo, whose effort was weak after he managed to stay on his feet under challenge from Barry Opdam.

Michael Ball, playing at left-back despite having stitches in a foot wound, was booked in the 22nd minute for preventing a free-kick from being taken quickly.

Even Jean-Alain Boumsong, usually his side’s most accomplished defender, was finding life in the Alkmaarderhout Stadium difficult and his every movement was being scrutinised by Graeme Souness, who has already declared an intention to sign him for Newcastle at the earliest opportunity.

Hamed Namouchi replaced the ineffectual Peter Lovenkrands at the break, with the Dane seemingly having suffered a hamstring injury.

Another Dane, Kenneth Perez, tested Klos with a smart drive on the turn but a promising Rangers counter-attack ended with red shirts crowding out Novo, who could only fire weakly at Timmer.

De Cler was booked for impeding Novo but although Rangers threw bodies forward they could make nothing of a flurry of free-kicks.

Ricksen was required to make a block on the edge of his own box to deny Barry van Galen, who had come thundering in to launch a drive.

The veteran van Galen almost made it 2-0 after the hour mark when Klos came to collect a cross only for Ball to hook it away from him. Van Galen headed towards an empty net but Klos was able to recover his ground and catch.

Timmer then pushed a shot wide from Marvin Andrews, and Bob Malcolm was booked in the 71st minute for a clumsy challenge and was replaced by Stephen Hughes two minutes later.

Boumsong was spending more and more time upfield in search of an equaliser and forced a save from Timmer with a powerful drive.

AZ survived a strong shout for a penalty when a cross from Hughes hit van Galen’s hand, but Israeli referee Alon Yefet rejected the appeal.

Hughes almost conjured up an equaliser by diverting an Andrews header past Timmer with his own head but substitute Olaf Lindenbergh, who had replaced Michael Buskermolen in the first half, was perfectly placed on the line to head clear.

Dado Prso fired the loose ball narrowly wide and won only a corner from the next attack when it looked as though at least one of his two challengers might have fouled him in the box.

It was not to be Rangers’ night however and overall they can have no complaints about being beaten by Co Adriaanse’s side.