Rangers 0 - 0 Fiorentina

Rangers 0-0 Fiorentina

Updated: April 24, 2008, 10:05 PM UK

Rangers kept their European and quadruple dreams alive after another Ibrox shut-out put them within sight of the UEFA Cup final as they drew 0-0 with Fiorentina.

The Italian outfit became the seventh club in European competition this season to fail to find the back of the net at Ibrox as the first leg of the semi-final ended goalless in Glasgow.

With Barry Ferguson and Kevin Thomson due to return from suspension for the return leg in Florence next week, Walter Smith's men will be hopeful of progressing to a meeting with Bayern Munich or Zenit St Petersburg in next month's final in Manchester.

• Smith plans to finish Italian job

As expected, Rangers began with a cautious 4-5-1 formation, with the role of lone striker occupied by Jean-Claude Darcheville, with fellow frontmen Daniel Cousin and Kris Boyd named among the substitutes.

Christian Dailly started in a depleted midfield, after reports indicating he had beaten illness to make himself available, while goalkeeper Neil Alexander made his European debut due to Allan McGregor's absence through injury.

Fiorentina were without the suspended Marco Donadel - the scorer of the only goal in the Serie A win over Palermo at the weekend - but were boosted by key defender Tomas Ujfalusi's recovery from injury.

Alexander's first task was to deal with a ferocious shot from the left boot of Adrian Mutu, the Romanian who has blossomed since his return to Italy.

Carlos Cuellar was also alert to clear the danger with Giampaolo Pazzini loitering with intent in front of goal.

Then came a moment which had the Rangers crown rising from their seats.

A dummy on the halfway line allowed Darcheville to embark on a bustling run down the left flank.

He perhaps should have had a shot at goal himself before being closed down by Alessandro Gamberini.

Instead, with Steven Davis bearing down on goal, the Frenchman attempted the pass but goalkeeper Sebastien Frey was able to collect instead, thanks to a couple of deflections.

Steven Whittaker then tried his luck from the edge of the box but the effort was not nearly as classy as the wonderful goal he claimed against Sporting Lisbon in Portugal in the last round and dipped harmlessly off target.

With 21 minutes on the clock, Greek referee Kyros Vassaras issued the first yellow card of the match for a foul on Darcheville.

Unfortunately for Rangers, Mario Alberto Santana was not one of three Fiorentina players walking a disciplinary tightrope ahead of the second leg.

La Viola pressed in search of an away goal and Mutu - among those on a booking ahead of the game - was penalised for handball, a let-off for a Rangers side facing immense pressure at that point.

The former Chelsea man then slipped a neat pass through to Santana, which was hooked to safety by Cuellar, with a furious Alexander claiming he had the move covered.

Rangers emerged after the interval in a more positive frame of mind and a long pass clipped forward by Kirk Broadfoot released Nacho Novo through on goal.

The striker found himself one on one with Frey but it was the goalkeeper who won the battle, smothering before Novo could unleash a shot.

Novo then whipped a teasing ball across the face of goal to Davis, whose glancing header was narrowly off-target, before the little striker squandered another chance of his own by screwing wide of Frey's left-hand post.

That proved to be Novo's final contribution for the night and he was withdrawn just before the hour mark along with Darcheville, with Thomas Buffel and Cousin both thrown into the action.

Mutu had netted a superb free-kick against PSV Eindhoven in the last round but was denied the same outcome with a long-ranger at Ibrox, Alexander proving to be resolute in the Rangers goal.

With the clock running down, Gamberini went in the book for a foul on Cousin.

Sasa Papac's free-kick into the box eventually found its way to Dailly at the far post via Cuellar but he nodded across the goalmouth and agonisingly wide.

Fiorentina threw everything at Rangers in the final moments but were denied the away goal they craved, with the tie remaining on a knife-edge ahead of a winner-takes-all clash at the Artemio Franchi Stadium.

"This is your chance, this is your time, become legends'' was the message from a banner in the Copland Road stand.

For Rangers, the dream could yet become a reality.

Smith plans to finish Italian job

Walter Smith insists Rangers will approach next week's last-four clash against Fiorentina with no fear, knowing a place in the UEFA Cup final is within their grasp.

'We have been drawn at home first in every tie that we've had this season both in the Champions League and UEFA Cup,' Smith said.

'If you don't concede the away goal, you're always in with a chance when you go away from home. Not conceding the away goal gives us that opportunity.

'We can take a bit of confidence from the away games that we've played this season. In the Champions League we have managed to score away from home against Stuttgart and Lyon, and we have scored away from home in Lisbon and Panathinaikos [in the UEFA Cup].

'I don't think any of these places are places teams would relish going having to win a game.

'But we have managed to go and score there so, as the season has gone on, we have gained a confidence in the away games and we take that confidence to Florence next week.'

Smith freely admits that this season's enduring European run has taken him by surprise but believes Rangers have now proven themselves as worthy continental contenders.

'You gain a confidence in terms of playing in the European games,' he said.

'I felt this season was going to be bit early for us European-wise but I think we are a difficult team to play against and certainly we are a difficult team to score against.'

Asked who the favourites were to progress on the basis of the first result, Smith said: 'In home games, especially when you have the second game at your own ground, you would be favoured and fancy yourself to win.

'But that's been the case with all the teams we've played this season. Hopefully, if we do as well as we have done in the other games, we can get the goal required to take us through.'

An Adrian Mutu free-kick from distance proved to be Fiorentina's best chance of the night and Smith was keen to pay tribute to the efforts of David Weir, who wore the captain's armband in the absence of the suspended Barry Ferguson.

The veteran defender will celebrate his 38th birthday in a fortnight and the Rangers boss, making reference to the Gers' gruelling fixture list, joked: 'It will be a busy two weeks - will he reach it?

'When we got him about 16 months ago, I never expected in my wildest dreams that he would play the number of games that he has done.

'Credit to him for that. He is a fantastic professional and a good guy to boot. When his birthday comes, he will maybe deserve a wee bit of a rest.'

Smith also felt a vocal Ibrox crowd played a crucial role in keeping the tie alive.

He said: 'They played a huge part for us in what was always going to be an awkward game and they stuck with the team.

'Our team may lack a lot of things but I think the crowd appreciates that they play for the jersey. They want to do well and they work really hard to try to cover for whatever deficiencies we have.'

Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli is well aware of Rangers' ability to strike the killer blow away from home in this tournament but insisted: 'There is always a first time.'

However, he admits the return leg in Italy could be another closely-fought encounter.

He said: 'Obviously we will try to play for the result next Thursday. The match is still open and could end up in penalties but I think both teams have their chances.'