FOOTBALL Live

Thursday May 1, 2008 Finished

Logo 0 - Glasgow Rangers 0 (2-4)

Fiorentina

Rangers

  1. Penalty glory for Rangers in Florence

    Penalty glory for Rangers in Florence

    Rangers reached the UEFA Cup final after holding Fiorentina to a 0-0 draw before edging a tense penalty shoot-out 4-2. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:120'
    • Fiorentina
    • Rangers
    • FT Tears from the Fiorentina players and understandable because this was a real smash and grab from Rangers. But a glory night for Rangers - their fans are going crazy and can you blame them? Thanks for joining us for our coverage.
    • 2-4 Novo for Rangers...AND HE HAS DONE IT!!! UNREAL SCENES !! RANGERS ARE IN THE UEFA CUP FINAL.
    • 2-3 Vieri - AND IT IS OVER THE BAR!!! RANGERS JUST NEED TO SCORE THE NEXT TO GO THROUGH.
    • 2-3 Hemdani for RANGERS - scuffs it a bit but into the corner. Rangers lead.
    • 2-2 Liverani now for Fiorentina...SAVED BY ALEXANDER - ALL SQUARE AGAIN !!
    • 2-2 Pressure on Rangers again...Papac to take...calmly in.
    • 2-1 Montolivo who has been poor with his shooting all night - but he scores with ease here.
    • 1-1 Whittaker - down the middle and in.
    • 1-0 Kuzmanovic for the Viola...low and into the corner but Alexander nearly got there. Good peno.
    • 0-0 Ferguson...after a long delay...MISSES - not a bad penalty but a GREAT SAVE by Frey.
    • 0-0 Rangers to go first in this penalty shoot-out.
    • PENS AND WE ARE HEADING TO A PENALTY SHOOT-OUT - after three and a half hours of football we have not had a goal and Rangers have hung on there.
    • 120+1 And another half-chance falls for Vieri but he fires into the side-netting.
    • 120 Two extra minutes...
    • 120' Vieri dives in the box and is looking for a penalty but a free out is given instead.
    • 119' ANOTHER CHANCE for Fiorentina - but Vieri fires over. We are heading to penalties and you got to put your money on Rangers the way this whole tie has panned out.
    • 119' And then at the other end Mutu heads into the ground and over form just six yards out after a great cross from Semioli.
    • 118' RANGERS ALMOST NICK IT - Frey flaps at a corner and it bounces off Novo - it looks like it might creep in but Frey makes up for his error by pushing the ball away from danger.
    • 116' Another ball is flung into the Rangers box - but it comes off Mutu's hand.
    • 114' Kuzmanovic breaks into the Rangers area and it looks a dangerous situation but he just runs out of space as the ball goes out of play as he looks to check it back. He was nearly nicked on his way into the box and might have been tempted to dive for a penalty.
    • 111' Jorgensen shoots towards the far post and Vieri almost gets his head to it but that ball is just a little too high for him.
    • 109' MOMENT OF MADNESS FOR COUSIN - he aims a little head butt at Liverani - he gets a second yellow and is OFF - he could have got a straight red for that to be honest and he will miss the final. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID from Cousin and he has just made things harder for Rangers.
    • 107' Mutu with a diving volley and that looks like it is heading for the net but Cuellar once more gets his foot in the way.
    • 106' Off we go - 15 more minutes.
    • ETHT And there is the half-time whistle...still stalemate - are we heading to penalties.
    • 104' Montolivo's shooting has been very poor - he has dragged another poor effort from distance wide.
    • 102' Rangers enjoy a rare attach and Cousin gets a shot away that is deflected up into the air and over Frey's crossbar - it could have gone anywhere! The visitors can do nothing with the corner though.
    • 100' Jorgensen curls in a good low cross but it just runs a little too far for Vieri.
    • 97' The pattern remains the same - Fiorentina pressing but without a cutting edge.
    • 94' Semioli - a dangerous player - comes on for Santana.
    • 93' Kuzmanovic times a good run into the box - gets his head on a cross but it is high and over.
    • 92' Vieri runs into the left edge of the box and tries a cross field shot but it goes just wide.
    • 91' And off we go again - the battle continues.
    • FT We will go to extra-time - Rangers have hung on this far but can they last another 30 minutes?
    • 90+1 Mutu is fouled on the edge of the area but the referee waves it away.
    • 90' Two extra minutes as Fiorentina continue to press.
    • 89' Liverani tries one from distance - deflected off Barry Ferguson for a corner.
    • 88' Fiorentina just can't cut open Rangers - with Cuellar being IMMENSE for Rangers.
    • 85' WHITTAKER COMES SO CLOSE TO NICKING IT FOR RANGERS - for just outside the box he is given a bit of space and he curls a great shot to the top right corner of Frey's net but the French keeper dives to push it away.
    • 84' Mutu with more good work down the left he checks it back to Vieri but he BLASTS it miles over.
    • 81 Rangers make their second change Novo comes on for Davis
    • 80' VIERI MISSES A SITTER WITH HIS FIRST TOUCH - Gamberini wins a header in the box and Vieri is there two yards out but the ball gets stuck underneath his feet and Whittaker can clear.
    • 79' Out with the new in with the old. Christian Vieri is on for Pazzini
    • 77' HALF CHANCE FOR RANGERS - Uffalusi can't deal with a flick on from Cousin and Davis gets his foot on it but there is no power on the shot as he was a little off-balance. However, at least he made Frey work.
    • 76' Rangers get a few balls into the Fiorentina box and relieve at bit of pressure but they can't create a chance.
    • 75' It has to be said that if Rangers were not a British team maybe the adjectives used to describe their play wouldn't be so kind. What one might call brave and resolute, another might call extremely negative. Fiorentina are the only ones trying to play football here.
    • 73' Cousin booked harshly for putting his arm up while going into a challenge.
    • 70' From the resulting free-kick Mutu shoots from what must be 40 yards and Alexander has to dive to save - great free-kick by the former Chelsea man.
    • 69' Weir booked for a foul on Pazzini.
    • 68' Another poor effort from Fiorentina - Montolivo drags another shot wide. Meanwhile, the Viola keeper Sebastien Frey could have stayed at home and listened to "Money for Nothing" for Dire Straits on his ipod. He has had to do nothing tonight.
    • 65' Rangers swap their strikers - Daniel Cousin on for an exhausted Darcheville.
    • 64' Santana with a good run down the right but his cross can't get past the first man which is Weir.
    • 62' Ujfalusi fires a half volley just over the bar after Kuzmanovic's miss-hit shot came into his path.
    • 59' ALL FIORENTINA now they are really knocking on the door - the game is being played in the Rangers half and Weir and Cuellar are being asked to do overtime.
    • 57' Rangers give away a free-kick 25 yards out and to the right of the goal. Mutu fires a low shot past the wall but it is a poor effort and it goes wide.
    • 56' Mutu heads a corner just wide but he had jumped onto to Cuellar to get his head on the ball in any event.
    • 54' There looks to bit a little more of an edge to Fiorentina's play in this second-half - it is going to be tough for Rangers as they begin to tire.
    • 52' Mutu shows good pace down the left and then drills a low cross to the front post - Pazzini gets there first but can only fire wide.
    • 49' Mutu loses his balance after being found in a good position on the edge of the area and ends up firing something that is neither a pass nor a shot over the bar.
    • 48' Slow start to the half - no sign of this cagey contest coming to life.
    • 46' And we are back underway...
    • HT And there is the half-time whistle. The Rangers plan is working fine. Sure Fiorentina have had most of the play but where have been the chances?
    • 44' More balls flying into the Rangers box but Cuellar and Weir are clearing away everything.
    • 42' Marco Donadel, who was a doubt before the game, has been forced off after picking up a knock. On comes Zdravko Kuzmanovic - the Serbian international.
    • 40' More nice little play from Fiorentina but Pazzini's clever little flick is read by Papac.
    • 38' Rangers with a rare counter-attack but Darcheville can't get a shot away and then Ferguson is caught offside.
    • 37' Fiorentina are pressing more and more but Rangers are defending very well. Cuellar is having another massive night at the back - what a player he has been for Rangers this year.
    • 33' Whittaker takes a ball well and then flicks it over a defender's head. He then plays Darchville down the left wing but despite the French man just being a few yards inside the Viola half - he is offside. Just shows how high a line Fiorentina are being allowed to play.
    • 30' Mutu is found just inside the box from a corner but his shot can't get past the wall of bodies in the box - but Fiorentina are starting to get on top now.
    • 29' Rangers are cut open and Montolivo cuts back from the end-line for Santana who tries a little backheel - he can't get much power on it and Papac is there to clear again.
    • 27' First booking of the game goes to Thompson for a cheeky chip on Santana.
    • 25' Rangers survive a scare - Fiorentina finally get a few passes together and Gobbi is found down the right - he crosses into the box and Alexander flaps at it. Papac though is in the right spot to clear the danger.
    • 23' Montolivo tries another speculative shot from distance but this one swerves high and wide.
    • 22' Little half chance for Fiorentina as the ball drops for Mutu on the edge of the box but he can only hit it into the ground and straight at Alexander.
    • 21' A low long pass from Broadfoot finds Darcheville in the box but the French striker's first touch let's him down and the ball overruns out of play.
    • 20' First shot on target is from Montolivo from 30 yards out - the ball swerved a bit in the air but still went straight into the arms of Neil Alexander. Very comfortable save.
    • 17' Some whistles from the home fans already as they struggle to get their passing going and that will be music to the Rangers players ears.
    • 15' Walter Smith will be happy enough with the opening 15 minutes - very tight stuff out there but Rangers are giving as good as they are getting.
    • 12' Donadel slips in a lovely ball to Santana down the right but the Argentina international wastes the chance with an over-hit cross.
    • 10' Rangers' passing a bit crisper now - they have had a little spell in the Fiorentina half which will give them confidence. Still no real chances as of yet.
    • 7' Rangers at least get out of their own half but Darcheville can't chase down Ferguson's pass.
    • 5' Gobbi plays a one-two with Mutu and finds himself inside the Rangers box but Cuellar crowds him out. Still the hosts are getting on top very early here.
    • 3' Mutu bursts forward for the Italians side's first attack of the game - Rangers struggle to get the ball clear and give away a free-kick down the right. However, Alexander comes out to claim Liverani's whipped in free.
    • 1' And Rangers wearing white have got us underway...
    • - Teams out now and a packed stadium are making a hell of a noise - both sets of fans in great voice.
    • - While for Fiorentina: 1-Sebastien Frey; 20-Martin Jorgensen, 21-Tomas Ujfalusi, 5-Alessandro Gamberini, 19-Massimo Gobbi; 4-Marco Donadel, 11-Fabio Liverani, 18-Riccardo Montolivo; 24-Mario Alberto Santana, 29-Giampaolo Pazzini, 10-Adrian Mutu.
    • - The Rangers team tonight: 13-Neil Alexander; 21-Kirk Broadfoot, 24-Carlos Cuellar, 3-David Weir, 5-Sasa Papac,; 28-Steven Whittaker, 6-Barry Ferguson, 7-Brahim Hemdani, 35-Steven Davis, 8-Kevin Thomson; 19-Jean-Claude Darcheville
    • - 4-0 in that match - what a massive shock in Russia. But who will join them in Manchester? Stay here to find out.
    • - Welcome to LIVE coverage from Florence as Rangers look to set up a UEFA Cup final meeting with former coach Dick Advocaat and his Zenit St. Petersburg side who have already upset Bayern Munich.

  • Team Stats

    Fiorentina Stats Rangers
    58% Possession 41%
    29 Shots 7
    3 Shots on target 3
    2 Saves 0
    11 Corners 4
    32 Fouls 16
    5 Offsides 8
    0 Yellow cards 2
    0 Red cards 1
    14 Tackles 15
    477 Accurate passes 288
    80 Bad passes 55

  • Player Stats

    G =
    Goals
    S =
    Shots
    SoT =
    Shot on Target
    F =
    Fouls
    FW =
    Fouls Won
    O =
    Offsides
    A =
    Assists
    AP =
    Accurate Passes
    BP =
    Bad Passes
    T =
    Tackles
    • Fiorentina
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      1 Sebastien Frey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 0
      5 Alessandro Gamberini 0 1 0 1 7 0 0 40 0 3
      21 Tomas Ujfalusi 0 1 0 0 4 0 0 60 7 2
      24 Mario Santana 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 16 2 1
      11 Fabio Liverani 0 1 0 2 2 0 0 89 15 0
      18 Riccardo Montolivo 0 4 1 0 3 0 0 54 18 2
      19 Massimo Gobbi 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 47 19 0
      4 Marco Donadel 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 0 0
      20 Martin Jorgensen 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 51 4 2
      29 Giampaolo Pazzini 0 3 0 4 7 0 0 21 3 0
      10 Adrian Mutu 0 9 2 6 0 2 0 30 9 3
      9 Pablo Daniel Osvaldo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      32 Christian Vieri 0 4 0 2 1 0 0 10 0 0
      7 Franco Semioli 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 7 1 0
      25 Vlada Avramov 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      3 Dario Dainelli 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      23 Manuel Pasqual 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      22 Zdravko Kuzmanovic 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 35 2 1
    • Rangers
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      13 Neil Alexander 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 15 11 0
      24 Carlos Cuellar 0 0 0 4 4 0 0 17 2 3
      5 Sasa Papac 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 32 6 0
      28 Steven Whittaker 0 1 1 3 1 2 0 24 11 3
      21 Kirk Broadfoot 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 27 0 2
      3 David Weir 0 0 0 5 3 0 0 19 5 1
      7 Brahim Hemdani 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 34 3 1
      6 Barry Ferguson 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 43 7 0
      35 Steven Davis 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 15 0 2
      8 Kevin Thomson 0 0 0 3 2 0 0 41 7 3
      19 Jean-Claude Darcheville 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 7 2 0
      10 Nacho Novo 0 1 0 4 0 1 0 8 1 0
      39 Amdy Faye 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      9 Kris Boyd 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      30 Christian Dailly 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      4 Thomas Buffel 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      29 Daniel Cousin 0 3 1 6 0 1 0 6 0 0
      16 Graeme Smith 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

  • Summary

    • 2-4 Novo for Rangers...AND HE HAS DONE IT!!! UNREAL SCENES !! RANGERS ARE IN THE UEFA CUP FINAL.
    • 2-3 Vieri - AND IT IS OVER THE BAR!!! RANGERS JUST NEED TO SCORE THE NEXT TO GO THROUGH.
    • 2-3 Hemdani for RANGERS - scuffs it a bit but into the corner. Rangers lead.
    • 2-2 Liverani now for Fiorentina...SAVED BY ALEXANDER - ALL SQUARE AGAIN !!
    • 2-2 Pressure on Rangers again...Papac to take...calmly in.
    • 2-1 Montolivo who has been poor with his shooting all night - but he scores with ease here.
    • 1-1 Whittaker - down the middle and in.
    • 1-0 Kuzmanovic for the Viola...low and into the corner but Alexander nearly got there. Good peno.
    • 0-0 Ferguson...after a long delay...MISSES - not a bad penalty but a GREAT SAVE by Frey.
    • 119' ANOTHER CHANCE for Fiorentina - but Vieri fires over. We are heading to penalties and you got to put your money on Rangers the way this whole tie has panned out.
    • 119' And then at the other end Mutu heads into the ground and over form just six yards out after a great cross from Semioli.
    • 118' RANGERS ALMOST NICK IT - Frey flaps at a corner and it bounces off Novo - it looks like it might creep in but Frey makes up for his error by pushing the ball away from danger.
    • 109' MOMENT OF MADNESS FOR COUSIN - he aims a little head butt at Liverani - he gets a second yellow and is OFF - he could have got a straight red for that to be honest and he will miss the final. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID from Cousin and he has just made things harder for Rangers.
    • 92' Vieri runs into the left edge of the box and tries a cross field shot but it goes just wide.
    • 85' WHITTAKER COMES SO CLOSE TO NICKING IT FOR RANGERS - for just outside the box he is given a bit of space and he curls a great shot to the top right corner of Frey's net but the French keeper dives to push it away.
    • 80' VIERI MISSES A SITTER WITH HIS FIRST TOUCH - Gamberini wins a header in the box and Vieri is there two yards out but the ball gets stuck underneath his feet and Whittaker can clear.
    • 77' HALF CHANCE FOR RANGERS - Uffalusi can't deal with a flick on from Cousin and Davis gets his foot on it but there is no power on the shot as he was a little off-balance. However, at least he made Frey work.
    • 62' Ujfalusi fires a half volley just over the bar after Kuzmanovic's miss-hit shot came into his path.
    • 52' Mutu shows good pace down the left and then drills a low cross to the front post - Pazzini gets there first but can only fire wide.
    • 29' Rangers are cut open and Montolivo cuts back from the end-line for Santana who tries a little backheel - he can't get much power on it and Papac is there to clear again.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Fiorentina

    Manager: Claudio Cesare Prandelli

    Captain: 21. Tomas Ujfalusi

    On the Field

    • Frey
    • Jorgensen
    • Gamberini
    • Ujfalusi
    • Gobbi
    • Donadel Substitution Out (42′)
    • Liverani
    • Montolivo
    • Santana Substitution Out (95′)
    • Pazzini Substitution Out (78′)
    • Mutu

    Subs

    • 32. Vieri Substitution In78′
    • 7. Semioli Substitution In95′
    • 2. Kroldrup
    • 25. Avramov
    • 22. Kuzmanovic Substitution In42′
    • 23. Pasqual
    • 9. Osvaldo

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

  • Rangers

    Manager: Walter Smith

    Captain: David Weir

    On the Field

    • Alexander
    • Broadfoot
    • Cuéllar
    • Weir Yellow Card
    • Papac
    • Whittaker
    • Hemdani
    • Davis Substitution Out (81′)
    • Thomson Yellow Card
    • Ferguson
    • Darcheville Substitution Out (65′)

    Subs

    • Cousin Substitution In65′ Red Card
    • Faye
    • Dailly
    • Buffel
    • Novo Substitution In81′
    • Smith
    • Boyd

    Injured

    • McCulloch
    • Burke
    • McGregor
    • Naismith
    • Adam

    Suspended

    None