Albertz strike relieves Rangers

PSV Eindhoven and Rangers last night proved that it is possible to create a competition as rich and fulfilling as the Champions League yet discover it does not bring immunity from producing an absolute shocker.

That interpretation will hardly bother the Glasgow club after Jorg Albertz's 84th-minute goal gave them the victory that could propel them into the tournament's later stages. Yet until that moment, the dreariness of the match had been mind-boggling.

"If I keep playing like this, he can't drop me," Albertz had said after scoring against Bayern and St Johnstone. Rangers manager Dick Advocaat had other ideas, leaving the German on the bench to start with Neil McCann. As it happened, an injury to Claudio Reyna brought the German into the match in the 22nd minute and the Scottish champions looked a better side for it.

PSV looked pretty ordinary, but they did have two exceptional strikers, Luc Nilis and Ruud van Nistelrooy. Supported by an extremely lively Dennis Rommedahl, surging down the right wing, they could clearly be a handful.

Rangers took some time to get started, but in the 29th minute a flick by Michael Mols and a cross from Rod Wallace allowed McCann to hit a shot over the bar. A few minutes later, Barry Ferguson found McCann on the left and this time Mols drove his effort wide of the post.

PSV must have been worrying their coach Eric Gerets. He took off Rommedahl, Ovidiu Stinga and Bjorn van der Doelen during the second half, but he could not find the inventiveness from midfield he needed to support his two exceptional strikers.

Rangers looked more relaxed as the match wore on. In the 55th minute Arthur Numan and McCann set up Wallace, whose header, from a good position, flew over the bar. With McCann driving a left-foot shot wide of the post, there was every indication that the game was there to be won.

The goal came through the diligence of Mols, who would not be shrugged off the ball. Eventually, as he ran from the right across the edge of the box, it spun up off a defender invitingly for Albertz, whose left-foot shot was far too strong for Ronald Waterreus.

PSV Eindhoven: Waterreus, Dirkx, Heintze, Khokhlov, Van Nistelrooy, Nilis, Van Der Doelen (Bruggink 80), Rommedahl (Kolkka 63), Nikiforov, Stinga (Bouma 68), Wielaert. Subs Not Used: Lodewijks, Fuchs, Iwan, Skerla.

Rangers: Charbonnier, Porrini, Moore, Amoruso, Numan, Ferguson, Van Bronckhorst, Reyna (Albertz 24), McCann, Mols, Wallace. Subs Not Used: Niemi, Kanchelskis, Vidmar, Amato, Hendry, Adamczuk. Booked: Van Bronckhorst. Goal: Albertz 84.

Referee: Anders Frisk (Sweden).