Rangers banned their players from even mentioning the word Parma until Haka had been removed from the European Cup. That was accomplished last night and now they will talk of little else.
The Scottish champions meet the Italians in the next round to decide who plays in the Champions League. Next week, it starts to get serious.
That more than 40,000 people turned up for this game could be explained by the fact that they were all season ticket holders wanting value for money from their investment. And that Rangers made only two injury enforced changes - Jorg Albertz for Neil McCann, Jonatan Johansson for Claudio Reynia - showed that manager Dick Advocaat was giving the game his undivided attention.
If the tie was not over before it started it certainly was after 13 minutes when Rangers took the lead. The referee ignored a Haka foul at one end of the ground and, 10 passes later, the ball was in the back of the net at the other.
Arthur Numan, Albertz and Michael Mols were all involved before Barry Ferguson's through ball allowed Rod Wallace to draw Andras Vilnrotter off his line before placing the ball behind him.
Johansson was determined to impress not only his fellow countrymen but also Haka's manager, Keith Armstrong, who had branded him a "bottle merchant". That task was duly accomplished with a back-post header in the 27th minute.
Rangers: Klos, Adamczuk, Moore, Amoruso, Numan (Vidmar 40), Ferguson (Nicholson 71), Johansson, Van Bronckhorst, Mols (Amato 45), Wallace, Albertz. Subs Not Used: Niemi, Wilson. Goals: Wallace 15, Johansson 28, Amato 66.
FC Haka: Vilnrotter, Penttila, Karjalainen, Rasanen (Savolienan 61), Ivanov (Nyyssonen 52), Reynders, Popovitch, Rantala, Wilson, Okkonen, Niemi (Torkkeli 71). Subs Not Used: Toivonen, Salli, Pasanen.
Referee: L Pucek (Poland).
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