Rangers build solid lead
Smith looks to prolong his continental campaign
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Tuesday, 31, Jul 2007 11:22
Rangers remain on course for the Champions League group stages after recording a 2-0 win over Montenegro's FK Zeta in their second round qualifying tie.
The Gers dominated the opening stages and Kris Boyd had the woodwork rattled within ten seconds of kick-off after he latched onto Lee McCulloch's pass before finding the foot of the post with a powerful shot.
Bojan Ivanovic sliced wide when in a promising position just after the quarter-hour mark, but his half-chance was about as good as it got for the visitors.
Jean-Claude Darcheville and McCulloch both called Zeta keeper Sasa Ivanovic into urgent action with snap shots before the half was out, but for all their pressure Rangers headed back to the dressing room with nothing to show for their superiority.
Four minutes after the break the Ibrox crowd could have been forgiven for thinking their side were destined to remain goalless after they watched Boyd scoop a simple chance over the top from Ivanovic's parry.
But their worries were eased when David Weir bagged himself a fortuitous opener with the help of a slip from Ivanovic.
The stopper had been in fine form in maintaining a clean sheet, but under pressure from Darcheville he allowed a routine long ball from the defender to pass straight through his gloves and into the net.
Alan Hutton's indiscipline left the hosts a man down for the last 30 minutes after the defender earned himself two bookings in rapid succession, but McCulloch notched a second in spite of his side's numerical disadvantage.
The former Wigan man's header trickled over the line, and despite Zeta's protests that strike partner Nacho Novo obstructed two defenders attempting to clear, the goal stood to give Walter Smith's side a healthy cushion for the second leg.