The #4m summer signing, Michael Mols, made a stunning European debut for Rangers on the tiny ground at Valkeakoski, in Finland, last night.
Playing in his first competitive game for the Ibrox club, the Dutch striker, bought from FC Utrecht, scored twice in 15 first- half minutes to push the Scottish champions into a 3-0 lead at half-time.
That placed the European Champions' League preliminary round game beyond the reach of the FC Haka and set Rangers up for a return clash with Parma from Italy, the side who defeated them in the UEFA Cup last season.
Last night's game was one where Dutch coach Dick Advocaat had preached caution beforehand, remembering the exploits of the Finnish champions, HJK Helsinki, last year when they progressed to the group stages of the Champions' League. In this game, though, Rangers were in command from the start as Haka players displayed much more trepidation than the pre-match remarks from their English coach, Keith Armstrong, would have suggested.
Armstrong had hoped for a mistake to give his team an edge in the game - but his wish did not materialise until the game moved into the second half. That was when they scored, but it was too late to have any affect on this result or on the eventual settling of the tie itself when the return is played at Ibrox next week.
Rangers had made sure of that with a professional performance in the first half, limiting the home team to just one corner and not a single attempt on goal. In stark contrast, Rangers had been able to carve out opening after opening even before they went in front in the seventeenth minute.
Rod Wallace was brought down just outside the Haka penalty box. Claudio Reyna took the free kick and rolled the ball to Lorenzo Amoruso, who blasted a fierce drive into the net.
Ten minutes later and Rangers were two goals ahead as Mols scored a fine goal. Neil McCann found the front man with a neat pass from the left. Mols turned his marker, and as he left the Finnish player stranded, directed a superb shot into the net.
His second goal was equally impressive. This time, just three minutes before half-time, the ball reached him from Dariusz Adamczuk on the right. He brought the ball under control, again deceived his marker, and snapped another shot beyond Andras Vilnrotter.
By now the Rangers' fans were chanting ''Armstrong, Armstrong what's the score'' at the Haka coach, who had been critical of the Rangers' team in the build up to the tie.
However, Armstrong had a brief moment when he could summon up a smile and it came courtesy of a Craig Moore error after 50 minutes. The Australian central defender played a ball directly to Janne Savolainen, whose quick cross reached Jari Niemi at the far post, and his header drifted away from Stefan Klos to the delight of the Finnish support in the 3341 crowd.
That was almost the only moment when Rangers dropped their guard. Their other mistakes came around the Haka goal as Mols twice had opportunities to complete a hat trick but did not take them. First he sent a close- range shot over when Reyna sent him clear. Then in 62 minutes he tried again but the keeper saved.
It was not so simple for Vilnrotter eight minutes afterwards but he was able to make a spectacular stop from a Mols shot.
By that time, Jorg Albertz and Jonatan Johansson had left the bench to take over from Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Wallace. Then with six minutes remaining, Barry Nicholson took over from Reyna.
The scoring had not finished, though, and Johansson, playing in his own country, stabbed an Albertz corner over the line after it had been touched on to him by Moore. The three-goal advantage that Rangers had enjoyed at half-time was restored.
There will be those who will attempt to denigrate the result but beforehand - especially following HJK's successes last season - the tie was looked on as a potential threat to the Ibrox men.
It did not turn out that way because Advocaat's team adopted a professional approach.
Now the coach may allow his players to think about Parma and the challenge which faces them.
FC Haka - Vilnrotter, Penttila, Karjalainen, Rasanen, Ivanov, Kyoykvarra, Reynders, Popvitch, Savolainen, Wilson, Niemi. Substitutes - Toivonen, Nyyssonen, Rantala, Torkkeli, Pasanen, Okkonen.
Rangers - Klos, Adamczuk, Moore, Amoruso, Numan; B Ferguson, Reyna, van Bronckhorst, McCann, Mols, Wallace. Substitutes - Albertz, Niemi, Amato, Johansson, Vidmar, Nicholson, Wilson.
Referee - V Hrinak, Slovakia.
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