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Zeta 0 - 1 Rangers

2ND LEG: 0 - 3 (Agg)

Zeta 0-1 Rangers: Beasley sends Gers through

Kevin Thomson and Janko Tumbasev
AP
Kevin Thomson, right, of Glasgow Rangers clashes for the ball with Janko Tumbasevic
Scoring Summary
Zeta Rangers
 DaMarcus Beasley (81)
Match Information
Stadium:
Attendance: 11,000
Match Time: 14:05 ET

Teams
Zeta Rangers
1 Sasa IvanovicAllan McGregor
30 Blazo IgumanovicDavid Weir
5 Miroslav Kaludjerovic21 Kirk Broadfoot
4 Milan RadulovicSasa Papac
7 Bojan Ivanovic24 Carlos Jimenez Cuellar
20 Janko Tumbasovic27 Lee McCulloch
10 Marco CetkovicBarry Ferguson
8 Darko MarkovicBrahim Hemdani
21 Nenad Djurovic20 DaMarcus Beasley
25 Zarko KoracKevin Thomson
11 Slaven Stjepanovic19 Jean Claude Darcheville
Substitutes
32 Dejan MusturRoy Carroll 25
3 Milan VuckovicIan Murray 18
26 Ivan KnezevicCharlie Adam 11
23 Zarija PelicicKris Boyd 9
28 Vladimir BoljevicNacho Novo 10
18 Mirko MarinkovicAlan Gow 15
22 Vladen PelicicFilip Sebo 23
Substitutions
Ivan Knezevic for Nenad Djurovic (56)
Nacho Novo for Jean Claude Darcheville (61)
Vladimir Boljevic for Bojan Ivanovic (70)
Charlie Adam for Kevin Thomson (87)
Milan Vuckovic for Janko Tumbasovic (84)
 
Yellow Cards
Blazo Igumanovic (23)
Kirk Broadfoot (58)
Nenad Djurovic (50)
 
Slaven Stjepanovic (75)
 
· Club Rosters: Zeta | Rangers

Updated: August 7, 2007, 3:00 AM ET

DaMarcus Beasley's late goal capped an assured performance from Rangers in Podgorica which carried them through to the third qualifying round of the Champions League.

The American, who played in the semi-finals of this competition for PSV Eindhoven two years ago, lashed a 20-yard shot past FK Zeta goalkeeper Sasa Ivanovic in the 81st minute to extend Rangers' aggregate lead to 3-0 after last week's victory at Ibrox.

Beasley and team-mate Jean-Claude Darcheville had earlier experienced some racist taunting from the home crowd on a night which was otherwise apparently trouble-free for Rangers.

• Smith thrilled by new boys

Kris Boyd started on the bench for Rangers in Montenegro as they looked to protect a 2-0 first-leg lead in their Champions League second round qualifier against FK Zeta.

The striker was struggling with an ankle injury ahead of the game, with Darcheville fielded as the only out-and-out striker, with Lee McCulloch and Beasley for support.

Rangers were without right-back Alan Hutton, sent off in the first leg, and Kirk Broadfoot filled in. Charlie Adam, who failed to shine in the first leg, was replaced - as he was at Inverness on Saturday - by Kevin Thomson.

The attention of UEFA was on the Rangers supporters, a minority of whom have let the club down with sectarian chanting in recent European games, and in Saturday's Clydesdale Premier League match at Inverness.

Zeta made just one change, with Nenad Djurovic coming into the defence at the expense of Milan Vuckovic.

They approached the match at the Gradski Stadium - not their regular home, but chosen to accommodate the largest crowd - with the conviction that Rangers' lead could be overturned.

After a quiet start, the first threat came from Slaven Stjepanovic down the left, but Broadfoot dealt well with the danger.

McCulloch shot well wide from 25 yards in the ninth minute, before Beasley shot just wide from 20 yards.

The first booking went to Blazo Igumanovic in the 23rd minute for a late tackle, before Stjepanovic shot over.

Cetkovic wriggled past three defenders and set up Bojan Ivanovic for a low shot which McGregor had to get down quickly to gather.

McGregor then carelessly missed a cross before gathering after a high bounce.

Broadfoot failed to make the most of a headed chance, while Beasley remained dangerous coming in from the right flank, winning a couple of free-kicks.

Miroslav Kaludjerovic made a last-ditch challenge to deny Darcheville as the Frenchman threatened just before the break.

Djurovic was booked in the fourth minute of the second half for a reckless challenge on McCulloch, sliding in near the halfway line after the ball had gone.

The hosts made their first change in the 56th minute when the injured Djurovic was replaced by Ivan Knezevic.

Rangers collected their first booking two minutes later with Broadfoot the offender, and Darcheville was soon replaced by Nacho Novo.

McCulloch moved into the central attacking role, with Novo and Beasley his supporting cast.

Zarko Korac wasted a decent chance to halve Rangers' lead when he headed over the bar from eight yards.

McGregor then helped out his defenders with a punched clearance after Ivanovic threatened to get on the end of a long pass over the top.

Ivanovic went down and the crowd briefly demanded a penalty, but Italian referee Paolo Dondarini saw nothing wrong.

Dondarini turned down appeals from Broadfoot soon afterwards when the defender, on a burst forward, stumbled over a challenge.

McCulloch's shot after a laboured build-up was still rising when it cleared the bar - and the same player headed over the bar from Rangers' next chance.

Zeta might have had a penalty in the 75th minute when Stjepanovic went down under the challenge of Broadfoot.

He looked to have been caught but made his protests too vigorously for the referee, who booked the striker.

Beasley netted the only goal of the night in the 81st minute, darting in off the left flank and drilling a low right-footed shot just inside the left post.

Zeta's flapping goalkeeper Sasa Ivanovic dropped a Barry Ferguson cross as Rangers pushed for another goal, before Novo sliced a shot well wide after Thomson picked out his run.

Substitute Adam, on for Thomson, slashed another shot off target, but Rangers cruised to the final whistle.

They await either Red Star Belgrade or Levadia Tallinn in the next round, with the second leg of that tie in Estonia on Wednesday evening.

  • Smith thrilled by new boys

    Rangers manager Walter Smith's summer spending spree looks like paying for itself after DaMarcus Beasley and a host of new boys shone in the Champions League victory over FK Zeta.

    American winger Beasley is proving a snip for the £700,000 Rangers paid to PSV Eindhoven and capped a fine performance in Podgorica with a terrific winning goal to secure a 3-0 aggregate victory.

    But there was also an outstanding performance in defence from Spanish centre-back Carlos Cuellar, while former St Mirren captain Kirk Broadfoot gave a battling display at right-back.

    Lee McCulloch, who joined from Wigan, and former Bordeaux striker Jean-Claude Darcheville also occupied the Zeta defence as Rangers eased into the final round of qualifying.

    'It wasn't easy for us in this game,' said Smith, who has spent more than £7million on new additions this summer and is not finished yet in the transfer market.

    'Zeta did their best on their European debut, but we proved that we are the better side in this tie, and that we deserved to be in the next round.

    'We have a good team, the boys did well and it was important for us both to reach the next round, and to continue with our victories at the start of the season.

    'Our squad has plenty of new players, and I must say they did well.

    'It's important for us to play well, not to make mistakes, and we've proved at the start of the season that we are on the right track.

    'Now, we must focus on our next task.'

    Red Star Belgrade and Levadia Tallinn contest the second leg of their second qualifying round match tomorrow night in Estonia, with Rangers lying in wait for the winners.

    If Smith's side can get through their next test, then the thrill of competing with Europe's elite - and a massive pay-day - await.

    Smith said: 'When they finish their second leg, we'll see what will happen next.'

    Zeta coach Slobodan Halilovic criticised his team for abandoning their match plan.

    Halilovic said: 'I'm proud of my players, but I must say they missed their chance because of trying to beat Rangers by playing a style they're not used to, and which they weren't told to do.

    'We're a technique-based type of squad, we won the title with fast play, fast moves, quick attacks, and today we've tried something else, even though it wasn't our agreement in the locker room.

    'I must congratulate Rangers for the win, and, if Red Star Belgrade reach the next round of qualification, I think it is the Glasgow side who will be favourites in that clash.'

  •  
    Tuesday, August 7, 2007
    Levski Sofia 0
    Tampere United 1 FT
    Zeta 0
    Rangers 1 FT
    Beitar Jerusalem 1
    FC Copenhagen 1 FT
    Dinamo Zagreb 3
    Domzale 1 FT