Sporting 0-2 (0-2 agg) Rangers
Rangers dig deep to stun Sporting Lisbon and progress to the Uefa cup semi finals.
Rangers began this tie with confidence, they were shifting the ball smoothly and making Sporting do all the work. Just three minutes in and Darcheville had the first chance of the game.
Brahim Hemdani fed Darcheville, who took his time dinking the ball over Rui Patricio but it gave Sporting the time to block the shot.
15 minutes later and Sporting went close. Liedson got on the end of a free-kick, fortunately for Rangers the ball hit the upright and the game remained all square.
The two teams fought well for the rest of the half, with Sporting again going close just before the break.
Sporting started brightly after the rest with a couple of half chances, but just as it seemed that Sporting were getting the upper hand, Rangers scored their first just before the hour.
Darcheville picked out Steve Davis who returned the favour and from six yards out Darcheville gave Rangers the advantage.
In stoppage time, Sporting were throwing all they could at Rangers, it allowed Whittaker to break and run the length of the field, before slotting home and sealing a magnificent win for Rangers.
Walter Smith:
There’s a terrific determination among the squad and there was a great deal of skill on show tonight. I was really pleased in the manner of how we played.
The pitch was excellent and that was reflected in the fact we were passing the ball better.
