FOOTBALL: EUR IN FOR HARD TIMES GERS; Four-goal show is enough to sink Dons but Champions League rivals won't be worried.
RANGERS 4ABERDEEN 2
RANGERS managed to get themselves back on track at Ibrox last night but Dick Advocaat knows his team is not yet ready for the ultimate test which will be provided next midweek with the start of the Champions League.
Even though they had to recover after having fallen behind to Aberdeen, the Ibrox side appear hesitant and unsteady.
They have only one more game before the start of Champions League play - away to Dundee on Saturday - and Advocaat can only hope they find inspiration and smoother form from somewhere.
If they continue to play as they did last night, they cannot possibly survive in Europe's largest and toughest playground.
The man Rangers' fans had been waiting to see, de Boer, was given a rousing reception when he entered the arena to make his debut and as the noise level increased there was a genuine fear for poor Fernando Ricksen, a Dutchman who doesn't seem to like Glasgow crowds.
Hugging the right touchline, he looked eager to put his Old Firm ordeal behind him, although young Darren Mackie, bursting through on Aberdeen's left flank, got away from him a few times in the first half.
Fortunately for the Rangers wing-back, most eyes were fixed on de Boer, who was playing right up front and through the middle.
He had Rod Wallace to his right and McCann to his left with Billy Dodds just behind.
The main men in midfield were Barry Ferguson and Giovanni van Bronckhorst who were assisted on the flanks by Ricksen and Dutch colleague Arthur Numan.
Scott Wilson was shoulder to shoulder with Lorenzo Amoruso at the heart of Rangers' defence.
Aberdeen were operating with four, David Rowson, Philip McGuire, Derek Whyte and Kevin McNaughton, at the back.
Derek Young, Cato Guntveit, Darren Young, Mackie, and Rachid Belabed were patrolling the middle with only Robbie Winters up front.
The plan was to get players forward to support attacks and while this always seems attractive in theory, it generally ends up defensive in practice.
However, Rangers were not exactly forcing the play or causing any real panic in Aberdeen's defence and after 15 minutes the first real piece of action was Advocaat's sweeping exit from the directors box.
It was time to get down closer to his players who were in need of a reminder that this was a serious match and not a training session.
De Boer started to win more possession and he set up Ferguson for a shot from 20 yards out but he screwed the ball wide.
Then McCann spun away from his marker and his cross was put behind by Philip McGuire. De Boer took the corner on the left and Amoruso powered into the heart of Aberdeen's defence as though about to connect with the cross. He didn't and the Dons had to scramble the ball away from Wallace and McCann who were close by but doing little more than loitering without intent.
Rangers won a free-kick just outside the right-hand corner of Aberdeen's penalty area in 25 minutes when Wallace was dumped.
The home fans weren't happy and howled their disapproval that Willie Young had halted play with Dodds moving towards goal.
However, the masses were rejoicing seconds later.
Ricksen tapped the dead ball inside to van Bronckhorst whose low and powerful shot zipped into Ryan Esson's net.
Eight minutes from the break, van Bronckhorst's tenacity took him away from Belabed. Although the ball broke too far in front of him, team-mate Dodds took over and thumped a low drive wide.
De Boer had a chance to claim the applause a minute later when Wilson's pass sent him clear. He seemed to take an age to get ready to shoot, allowing McGuire to slip in and block the attempt.
From the corner, Amoruso headed narrowly wide but de Boer knew he had missed a golden opportunity.
Aberdeen were failing to threaten Stefan Klos's goal and Rangers were able to knock the ball about almost at their leisure but it was all veryy low key. In fact, by half-time, play was bordering on the tedious.
The Little General injected some life into proceedings, though, when he marched from his dug-out to complain about a decision against McCann, who had challenged Derek Young.
The referee called Advocaat over and told him to calm down.
However, the Rangers boss would have been anything but calm in the dressing room during the interval as he called for greater penetration.
McCann wasn't allowed back out to play and his place was taken by Allan Johnston, who almost got on the end of Wallace's left-wing cross seconds into the second half.
At the other end, Klos had to pluck the ball out of the air with Mackie bearing down.
Rangers replied through de Boer who pushed a pass through to Wallace at the other end.
The striker supplied Dodds, who had arrived in support, but he dallied and squandered a good chance to increase the lead.
They would pay for that in 52 minutes when Rowson's ball from the right floated into the middle of the Rangers box.
Wilson didn't seem to realise Winters was darting in behind and the striker got the vital touch sending the ball spinning away to Klos's left and into the net.
Seven minutes later, Klos was beaten again.
Derek Young took advantage when Ferguson lost possession against the referee of all people and while others stood around gawping the young Dons ace sped forward. He was allowed to run within 25 yards of the target and then let fly with a superb shot that flew into the top right-hand corner of Klos's net.
Aberdeen fans were delirious as Young was swamped by his team-mates.
He could barely believe he had stunned 36,000 Rangers fans into a silence that was broken only when Wallace headed a Johnston cross well wide.
The noise, however, was the sound of derision.
Advocaat's response was to take off Wilson, drop Ferguson back into defence, and send Tugay into the midfield.
But Aberdeen were enjoying a new lease of life while Rangers' players were toiling to live up to their reputations.
In 71 minutes Rangers carved a way through Aberdeen's defence when de Boer put Johnston clear on the right. Just as the winger was about to clip the ball over, McGuire appeared to haul down Dodds as he darted through the middle but the referee allowed play to continue.
Johnston's cross arrived in the middle but even though Tugay, untroubled by a single Aberdeen defender, was able to meet the ball alone he headed down and over when it looked easier to score.
Dodds and McGuire continued their spat and after a laying-on of hands both were shown the yellow card.
But after 74 minutes, Rangers equalised. Johnston turned the ball back to Ricksen who smacked in a first-time cross that dropped on to the head of Wallace and his effort found the net, despite Esson getting a touch.
Seven minutes later, Tugay ran a pass through to Johnston on the right and his low cross behind the defence was nudged in by Dodds.
Wallace should have killed off Aberdeen a couple of minutes later but shot against the keeper.
Amoruso stepped forward in the 85th minute to do what Wallace couldn't. McGuire fouled Wallace just outside the area and the Rangers captain curved the free-kick low past Esson for No.4.
RANGERS - Klos, Ricksen, Wilson, Amoruso, Numan, de Boer, Ferguson, van Bronckhorst, Wallace, Dodds, McCann. Subs: Kanchelskis, Tugay, Johnston, Vidmar, Charbonnier.
ABERDEEN - Esson, Derek Young, Whyte, Guntveit, McGuire, Belabed, Rowson, Mackie, Winters, Darren Young, McNaughton. Subs: Perry, McAllister, Clark, O'Donoghue, Preece.
Referee - W Young.
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| Title Annotation: | Sport |
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| Author: | Traynor, James |
| Publication: | Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland) |
| Date: | Sep 7, 2000 |
| Words: | 1283 |
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