Rangers...0, Juventus...4

THE only consolation is that the suffering will soon be over. There

was that growing reality to cling to at the end of another hard night

for Scottish football in the big boys' playground.

By the time the lights were going out around Ibrox, the players who

live there were left looking more than a little beaten up. If nothing

else, Juventus have shown twice in a fortnight exactly how far Rangers

are still behind the real players.

The Italian champions have taken eight goals off Rangers for the loss

of only one -- in old-style European Cup football that would constitute

an 8-1 aggregate win -- and the premier-division side find themselves

wandering aimlessly, forlorn even, around the basement of Group C in the

Champions' League with a single point to their credit.

Injuries and suspensions have played a part in Rangers' troubles, but

the poverty of their play in Europe so far this season has been a

consequence of more serious problems. They may be the champions of

Scotland, and they are expected to collect their eighth successive

championship, but at the top level they are impotent.

Rangers were unable to play with enough flair or invention and could

not produce anything remotely like a decent passing game. Without a

fluent, clever passing style it is virtually impossible to succeed in

Europe. Certainly if you give the ball away too easily, you also concede

the advantage.

The Italians, who had been cruising at 2-0, scored two more goals in

the last couple of minutes, strikes which merely wiped away memories of

two earlier scoring opportunities which Walter Smith's side squandered.

Another serious failing. If teams like Rangers can't make the most of

the few chances which come their way in Europe, then they will always be

pursued by defeat and doubt.

Although the scoreless match between Steaua Bucharest (four points)

and Borussia Dortmund (five) in Romania leaves Rangers with a faint

hope, they simply don't look capable of beating Steaua at Ibrox and then

Dortmund in Germany. Even if they did, they would then have to hope

Juventus win their second games against each of the other clubs, but the

Italians, with 12 points from their four matches so far, would be

entitled to ease off slightly with their quarter-final place assured.

Gary Bollan was sighted for the first time this season when Rangers

emerged from the tunnel and the former Dundee United player was one of

five changes from the team which had been thrashed in Turin two weeks

ago. Paul Gascoigne, who again was anonymous, Charlie Miller, Ian

Ferguson, and John Brown, also started last night's match.

Juventus also made changes, with Gianluca Vialli, Gianluca Pessotto,

Alessio Tacchinardi, and Massimo Carrera on from the start.

When they scored after only 16 minutes there was a sense of deja vu

because Juventus scored their first goal in the Stadio Delle Alpi two

weeks ago after only 15 minutes, and went on to put the ball in Rangers

net three more times. It happened again as Rangers were reminded that

perspiration without inspiration would not stop Juventus for the entire

match.

Despite the Ibrox side's determined start, the first player booked was

Italian. Oleg Salenko was fouled by Moreno Torricelli and he was shown

the yellow card for the second time in this qualifying series which

means he will miss Juventus's next match.

However, in 64 minutes the fullback scored a splendid goal, his team's

second, and from then on it was all too much for Rangers.

Perhaps it would have been different if a Richard Gough header had not

been touched on to his right-hand post by Angelo Peruzzi or if Charlie

Miller had managed to score when John Brown's sweet pass put him clear

inside the box.

While Rangers were not short on spirit, they failed miserably to set

up a steady supply line to Salenko and Miller. Quality passes were not a

problem for Juventus as Angelo Di Livio demonstrated with a delivery

from the right into the middle of Rangers' box where Petric rose to try

to clear.

Unfortunately, he didn't fulfil his intention and missed the ball

completely. Alassandro Del Piero, who was only six yards from goal,

might have been astonished to find the ball at his feet, but he was calm

enough to make the most of his gift.

The stretcherbearers were summoned to remove Stephen Wright in 24

minutes after he had been hurt while trying to deal with Vialli and

Petric moved over to cover at right full back. Ian Durrant was released

from the dugout into midfield.

When Rangers returned after the break, it was without Goram, who

appeared to have pulled a muscle while clearing a pass-back midway in

the first half. Billy Thomson stepped in and had to make a good save

from Angelo Di Livio.

Rangers then surged forward and hit both of Peruzzi's posts inside a

minute. First, Gough's header from Ian Ferguson's corner was touched by

the keeper and on to his right-hand post and then from Paul Gascoigne's

corner, a Ferguson header hit the base of the opposite post.

However, the Turkish referee, Ahmet Cakar, awarded Juventus a foul

saying Ferguson had used a hand. The official was subjected to loud

abuse a little later when he refused Rangers a penalty after Salenko,

who had been tackled by Torricelli, went down inside the box rather too

elaborately.

Torricelli, with the poise of a thoroughbred finisher, ran on to a

wonderful Vialli pass to score his goal and silence the Ibrox support,

who again were stirred by some determined play.

Both sides made changes -- McCoist took over from Miller in 69 minutes

-- but it was the Juventus replacements who made their marks. Fabrizio

Ravanelli, on for Vialli in 69 minutes, scored the third goal in 88

minutes, and Giancarlo Marocchi, who took over from Alessio Tacchinardi,

scored a splendid fourth from long range.

RANGERS -- Goram, Wright, Bollan, Gough, Brown, Petric, Ferguson,

Gascoigne, Miller, Salenko, McCall. Substitues -- Durrant, McCoist,

Murray, Reid, Thomson.

JUVENTUS -- Peruzzi, Torricelli, Pessotto, Carrera, Porrini, Sousa, Di

Livio, Tacchinardi, Vialli, Del Piero, Conte. Substitutes -- Ferrara,

Marocchi, Padovano, Ravanelli, Rampulla.

Referee -- A Cakar (Turkey).