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A dreadful second-half performance by Rangers saw the SPL leaders slump to a 4-1 Champions League defeat at home to Romanian side Unirea Urziceni.

An own-goal from Ricardo Vilana gave the hosts a second-minute lead but Marius Bilasco levelled half an hour later.

Steven Davis missed a penalty but it was after half-time when Rangers collapsed, with own-goals accredited to Kyle Lafferty and Lee McCulloch and a Pablo Brandan free-kick striking a crushing blow to their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages.

Rangers started with intent, winning a free-kick in the first minute and a corner soon afterwards.

From that set-piece, Jerome Rothen found Pedro Mendes on the edge of the box and his shot took a huge deflection off Vilana to loop it over the static Daniel Tudor and give the hosts a fortuitous lead.

As is often the way with Rangers in Europe, the match got scrappy, with the visitors keeping the ball well but lacking a cutting edge, while Rangers played a direct game that too often looked to Mendes for inspiration.

Kenny Miller went close when he rose through a crowded area to head Mendes's left-wing free-kick just over, while on two occasions Miller and Steven Naismith hesitated to shoot and instead played the ball to team-mates on the edge of the box, seemingly fearful of taking their own risk.

Dan Petrescu's side levelled just after the half-hour mark when Rangers were caught out by a quick free-kick routine that released Brandan down the left, whose low ball across the face of goal was tapped in by stand-out playmaker Bilasco.

The hosts had a superb chance to take the lead five minutes later, when Bruno Fernandes handled David Weir's header after a Rothen free-kick, but Northern Ireland midfielder Davis put a poor penalty low to Tudor's right, which the veteran keeper tipped behind for a corner.

While they lacked a cutting edge up front, Rangers at least matched their guests in the first half but the second 45 minutes were atrocious.

Mendes - nursing an injury - came off for Lafferty at the break and, while that gave Smith's side a greater presence up front, they lost their shape and rhythm in midfield and were carved apart by the Romanians.

Two minutes after the restart, Bilasco forced a good save from Allan McGregor and from the resultant short-corner, Iulian Apostol drilled the ball low in the box for Fernandes to impudently backheel into the bottom left via a slight deflection off Lafferty's left boot.

As with Rangers' opener, there was a hint of controversy about the decision to call it an own goal as both initial efforts seemed on target.

There was no doubt about Unirea's third though, with McCulloch - playing centre-half after Madjid Bougherra picked up an injury in training - unfortunate to divert Brandan's free-kick past McGregor to effectively put the game beyond Rangers.

The visitors were purring now and mesmerised a wooden Rangers with slick passing and movement, with Bilasco and Apostol pulling the strings.

It was 4-1 on 65 minutes and, as with the previous two strikes, there was a hint of fortune.

Rothen was penalised for a high boot just clear of the D and, after Apostol played it short, Brandan slipped as he lined up his shot, sending the ball low and sweet past McGregor into the bottom left.

That saw Rangers fans leave Ibrox in their droves, shocked at their capitualtion to what were widely considered the group whipping-boys.

Smith brought on Nacho Novo as Rangers went 4-3-3, and the direct approach almost reaped dividends when Davis twice had shots blocked in the area while Naismith headed just wide.

The bold tactical move did however open the match up further, with substitute Sorin Frunza drilling just wide and Serban Varga hitting the top of the bar late on.

Rangers stay bottom of Group G after Sevilla maintained their 100 per cent record with a 3-1 win at Stuttgart, while Unirea move second.

Reda Maher / Eurosport