RANGERS supporters leaving Manchester last night gave a convincing re-enactment of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow, the huge expeditionary force re-crossing the border into Scotland in the wake of the Ibrox side's 2-0 defeat by Zenit St Petersburg in the Uefa Cup final.
Repelled by Russian opponents who outwitted and generally outplayed their heroes, Walter Smith's self-styled blue-and-white army would return home bitterly disappointed by the climax to a European campaign that had held the promise of the ulti
mate reward.
The goals scored by Igor Denisov and Konstantin Zyrianov, the first in the 72nd minute, the second in the last minute of stoppage time, put an end to an adventure that had taken Rangers through 18 matches in Europe, starting with the Champions League qualifier against Zeta of Montenegro almost ten months ago.
The improbability of such a protracted run on the continent by a group of players widely regarded as unexceptional in terms of natural ability seemed to have deepened the conviction of their multitude of followers that the dream would be fulfilled at the City of Manchester Stadium.
In the event, Rangers lacked the incisiveness and creativity of the Russians, a disparity that was admitted by Smith in the aftermath of the match and one which would bring all the joy on the night to Dick Advocaat, the man who succeeded to the manager's job at Ibrox after the dismissal of Smith ten years ago.
Smith exemplified the difference between the teams by pointing to the sponsors' man of the match, Zenit midfielder Andrei Arshavin, whose two passes were instrumental in the goals that brought his team's victory.
"I think if you look at the player who has just been given the man of the match award," said the Rangers manager, "you'll see what we have probably lacked over the course of the season. It's a player who can bring that bit extra to the game, who can produce the unexpected bit of quality that changes games and makes the difference.
"We have a group of players who have exceptional commitment and industry and we could not possibly have asked for greater effort than they have given us throughout all these months. I can't speak highly enough of them, but, in the end, we probably lack that bit of creativity that makes the difference."
Smith's reliance of the defensiveness that had taken them through four ties in the knockout phase of the tournament – having been parachuted into the Uefa Cup after finishing third in their Champions league group behind Barcelona and Lyon – was maintained last night and, with more than two-thirds of the match completed, there was a growing feeling, especially among the Rangers supporters, that they could once again secure the scoreless draw that would take the match into extra time and perhaps a penalty shoot-out.
The Glasgow team had become renowned as specialists in this area as a result of their successes from the penalty spot against Fiorentina in the European semi-final, Dundee United in the CIS Cup final and St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup semi-final.
But the rising hopes of a fourth success by that means disappeared the moment Denisov opened the scoring.
The defeat terminated Rangers' prospects of completing the much-publicised quadruple of CIS Cup, Scottish Cup, Uefa Cup and Scottish Premier League championship and the concern for many of those who made their way home last night is that the disappointment of the night could have a hindering effect on the players in the matches they face over the next week.
Their three remaining league fixtures are all away, to Motherwell on Saturday, St Mirren on Monday and Aberdeen next Thursday. Four points behind their great rivals, Celtic, with two matches fewer played but an inferior goals difference, any slip could prove irredeemably damaging. The collision in Manchester was quite properly promoted as a death-or-glory affair, but the glory belonged exclusively to Advocaat and his impressive team.
The full article contains 678 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
