A spirited rearguard effort from Rangers enabled them to record a 0-0 draw against Fiorentina in the first leg of their UEFA Cup semi-final at Ibrox.

Reserve Rangers goalkeeper Neil Alexander denied Martin Jorgensen and Giampaolo Pazzini in the first half, while Jean-Claude Darcheville's tireless running provided a consistent outlet for the home side.

Adrian Mutu's powerful free-kick prompted Alexander to produce his most difficult save of the evening towards the end of the second period, but Rangers' defensive determination ensured the sides will reconvene in Florence next week with the scores all-square.

Rangers went into the game missing no less than eight players, with skipper Barry Ferguson and Kevin Thomson suspended and Allan McGregor, Chris Burke, Steven Naismith, Lee McCulloch, Charlie Adam and DaMarcus Beasley all sidelined through injury.

The visitors quickly found their passing stride, and after 13 minutes Carlos Cuellar had to be alert to prevent Pazzini getting on the end of Zdravko Kuzmanovic's knock-down.

Walter Smith's 4-5-1 formation meant the home side were set up to do little but weather the visitors' pressure and seek out chances on the counter-attack, but after a quarter of an hour Darcheville had the crowd on their feet with a surging run down the left that drew a well-timed intervention from Tomas Ujfalusi.

At the other end, Jorgensen tested Alexander with a well-struck effort from the right-hand corner of the penalty area, while Mutu was lucky to avoid being cautioned for attempting to punch Kuzmanovic's cross past the Rangers keeper after half an hour.

Alexander had to slide out to prevent Pazzini getting on the end of Mutu's pass five minutes before the break, but the home side went in at half-time having been rarely troubled at the back.

Nacho Novo demonstrated the extent of Rangers's confidence with an audacious lob that sailed narrowly over Sebastien Frey's crossbar after five minutes of the second period, and the Spaniard was linking up well down the right with young full-back Kirk Broadfoot until he and Darcheville were taken off for a well-earned rest with half an hour remaining.

Rangers' defensive tactics were not pretty but they proved very effective, the mass of blue shirts guarding the route to Alexander's goal reducing their opponents to hopeful crosses and optimistic long range efforts for much of the game.

Mutu sent a stinging 30-yard free-kick into Alexander's midriff with 15 minutes remaining, but it was the closest the visitors came to breaking the deadlock.

Nil-nil was the home-leg foundation upon which Rangers' previous UEFA Cup successes against Panathinaikos and Sporting Lisbon were built, and having avoided conceding an away goal they will go into the second leg in good heart.

Tom Williams / Eurosport