RANGERS were sent crashing out of Europe when Linas Pilibaitis snatched a late winner for FBK Kaunas in tonight's make-or break Champions League qualifier.
The first leg at Ibrox had ended in a goalless stalemate last week but Rangers looked set to progress on away goals when Kevin Thomson netted in the first half, despite Nerijus Radzius levelling for the hosts.
But Walter Smith's men suffered a las
t-gasp sucker-punch as the Lithuanians clinched the win they needed to set up a third-round qualifying meeting, likely to be with Danish side Aalborg.
A steady downpour all day meant the game was played in difficult conditions for both sets of players but Rangers quickly tried to impose themselves.
Novo drove into the box from the right and unleashed a shot that goalkeeper Marian Kello managed to get a fingertip to. Charlie Adam was lurking at the far post but failed to connect.
Kevin Thomson then tried his luck with a long, low shot from distance, which was comfortably smothered by Kello.
Rangers threatened again when Dailly released Miller through on goal but the striker hooked over the crossbar and the chance was lost.
At the other end, Lee McCulloch picked up the first booking of the match for a foul on Rafael Ledesma, before the Brazilian forced a decent save from goalkeeper Allan McGregor from the resultant free-kick.
Thomson and Pascal Mendy's names were also added to the referee's book in quick succession as the tie grew more heated.
Rangers continued to push forward and a blunder from Mindaugas Baguzis almost gifted them the opener, when his poor attempt at a headed pass-back to Kello trickled narrowly past the keeper's left-hand post.
The breakthrough came after 33 minutes and it was the visitors who surged into the lead when Thomson pounced on a Novo pass and slipped the ball through Kello's legs from a tight angle from about eight yards.
Kaunas could have restored parity when a Ledesma free-kick was missed by everyone in the box and curled inches past the post, with McGregor helpless in the Rangers goal.
Instead, it was Nerijus Radzius who had the net bulging two minutes before the break with a ferocious right-footed free-kick from 30 yards.
Kaunas knew they needed a second goal and Linas Pilibaitis was not too far away with an effort that whistled past the post, before Marius Cinikas saw his powerful shot crash off the crossbar and out of play.
Rangers were under pressure again when Nukri Manchkhava provided a great cross to the back post that was met by Adrian Mrowiec, and McGregor did well to hold the close-range downward header.
Vytautas Luksa was then booked for a challenge on Thomson just outside the box but Adam's free-kick failed to make it past the Kaunas wall.
That proved to be his final contribution to the match before Andrius Velicka was thrown into the action against his former club.
Rangers were forced to deal with a late onslaught, with Mendy dragging a shot narrowly wide from distance as the Lithuanians cranked up the pressure.
Velicka could then have killed off the hopes of his countrymen – and made himself an instant hero with his new club – when Sasa Papac teed up the shot only for the striker to blast over.
With the final whistle beckoning, McGregor was called into action again, this time to smother from Kaunas substitute Bojan Mamic.
But the goalkeeper was left plucking the ball out of the back of the net with just three minutes to go when Pilibaitis snatched victory with a header from close range.
The full article contains 624 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
