RANGERS' visit to Moscow in less than a fortnight should have been a formality. Instead, a collective concentration lapse while three-up and cruising last night has given Dinamo every incentive to attempt an audacious comeback in the second half of this second-leg tie.
Predictably, the Rangers manager, Dick Advocaat, was unimpressed by the cavalier attitude on which Rolan Gusev preyed in the last minute before brief overtime to silence what had hitherto been a raucous Rangers crowd.
The Dutchman hung around long enough to chastise his men for wholly unnecessary bravado ''trying to get a fourth'' when playing out time would have been better advised. He also warned sternly against a continuation of what has been a nasty habit.
''I'm not happy with that late goal and it's not the first time either,'' he said sharply. ''The second year in the Champions League . . . the third year in the Champions League - we had a lot of chances to go through to the second round and we still make the same mistake.
''We have enough experience in the team who can handle this sort of situation. At 3-0 with three minutes to go, you close it down, kill off the game, and you win 3-0, but some players like to try for 4-0.''
A late goal conceded to Monaco ended any aspirations of reaching the elusive second round stage of the premier competition last year, while similar shabbiness against Bayern Munich precluded them from proceeding prior to that.
He was at a loss to explain what goes through the minds of his well-drilled internationalists at such crucial periods, especially Lorenzo Amoruso, who enjoyed a majestic evening until he decided to roam the field just as he did against the French side. ''I can't understand why they open their system,'' Advocaat grumped with good reason.
By comparison, Alexander Novikov wore the look of a man who had just endured a near-death experience. Outplayed from start to almost finish, Amoruso, Michael Ball, and Ronald de Boer providing tangible reward for the home side's superiority, the Russians will now regroup and restructure for what now threatens to be a fraught evening played in sub-zero temperatures.
''Of course I would say that 3-0 would be a worse result for us. It would be more difficult to pull it off in Moscow,'' he said. ''Now I feel we have a chance. We have nothing to lose now but we only have a chance if we improve our game.
''We will try our best to pull it off and there is nothing left for us but to attack in Moscow.''
Rangers' cause may be further weakened by the loss of Craig Moore, who sustained what appeared to be a nasty neck injury in the melee prior to Amoruso's opener. He carried on until half-time but was replaced by Ball after complaining of a severe headache and the extent of his injury will not be determined until later today.
''It was disappointing to lose the late goal but, with the forwards we have at the club, we should be able to score in Moscow,'' said Ball optimistically.
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