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).
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