Rangers carried their impressive domestic form into Europe and at the same time took a giant step towards the next phase of the UEFA Cup.
The victory over Grazer AK was their 15th match without defeat and, barring disaster, the Ibrox team can look forward to a rare sojourn onto the Continent beyond Christmas.
GAK showed so much confidence that it took the home team some time to get to grips with the tie. When they did Bob Malcolm's shot was acrobatically saved by Andreas Schranz in the GAK goal. Rangers tried to build on their momentum and finally, in a frenzied burst of attacking play, the match came to life.
A Marvin Andrews shot was held by Schranz and then Peter Lovenkrands tried to lay off a pass to Fernando Ricksen rather than take responsibility himself and another opportunity was lost. The Dane fired wide from close range as well.
The ease with which GAK negotiated the first half must have fired up Rangers because in the opening minutes of the second half they put together more attacks than in the entire first 45 minutes.
After 58 minutes Rangers' new-found enthusiasm paid off. A foul by Anton Ehmann on Hamed Namouchi allowed Ricksen to send in a dangerous free kick and Nacho Novo stole in at the back post to steer the ball past Schranz.
GAK threw on all their substitutes in a bid to salvage something, but on 85 minutes Dado Prso headed Ricksen's corner back across goal and Shota Arveladze forced the ball home from close range. Namouchi made it 3-0 deep into injury time.
RANGERS: Klos, Khizanishvili, Boumsong, Andrews, Vignal (Ball 30), Namouchi, Ricksen, Malcolm, Lovenkrands (Arveladze 77), Prso, Novo. Subs not used: Graeme Smith, Mladenovic, Hutton, Ross, Hughes. Goals: Novo 58, Arveladze 86, Namouchi 90.
LIEBHERR GAK: Schranz, Plassnegger, Ehmann (Skoro 81), Tokic, Pogatetz, Standfest (Dollinger 72), Sick, Aufhauser (Muratovic 70), Amerhauser, Kollmann, Bazina. Subs not used: Almer, Poetscher, Ramusch, Majstorovic. Booked: Plassnegger.
Referee: Olegario Benquerenca (Portugal).
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