RANGERS provided manager Walter Smith with the performance and the result that he had demanded from them.
In the strange setting of the hilltop National Stadium, as the mist swirled in from the Atlantic, Rangers scored five goals against the champions of the Faroes in what was little more than a practice game.
It had held the potential for embarrassment and Smith had been aware of that. Raith Rovers had only drawn in the Faroes two years ago. Scotland had won here by just 2-0.
However, last night the new Rangers, with only three Scots in the starting line-up, were able to start their European campaign professionally. They were without five players who would normally have been in their starting line-up, and they lost their influential captain Brian Laudrup who went off with a rib injury in 34 minutes.
However, they still had the resources to win emphatically and the Ibrox fans can look forward to even more goals next week's second leg. For Ally McCoist, who took over from Laudrup, it was a night when he broke yet another scoring record, and one when he gave notice that he is not yet ready to slip quietly into the shadows.
His first goal in 66 minutes made McCoist the highest-ever Scottish scorer in European competition. It took his total to 19 - which carried him one goal clear of Willie Wallace, who scored 18 goals with Hearts and Celtic. McCoist scored once more for good measure before the end.
Before the match, the Icelandic coach of Gotu, Pall Guolaugson, had fired up his team, predicting that his part-timers had the strength and the fitness to surprise the multi-national and multi-million pound squad that Rangers have put together.
Before half-time, his predictions had a hollow ring as he leapt from his dugout time after time trying to exhort his players to greater efforts. All it earned him was a rebuke from the Finnish referee.
Rangers had intended to impose themselves on the game and they did that from the beginning. The only aspect of this preliminary-round, first-leg game, played before a crowd of 2200, that will annoy Smith is that three players collected yellow cards that will count against them if Rangers continue to progress in Europe.
Early in the game, it was obvious that Brian Laudrup - seen as the dangerman by the Faroese - was going to give them problems. He set up chances in the opening few minutes and, in 13 minutes, he somehow left three defenders stranded and then crossed. Jorg Albertz got to the ball, shot right-footed and saw the try stopped by Jens Knudsen.
However, the goal Rangers wanted came five minutes later. Alex Cleland crossed from the right, the ball came in low and Marco Negri volleyed it viciously into goal.
It was Cleland once more, five minutes later, with his cross this time reaching Gordon Durie. He headed down for Negri, whose shot was saved.
In 24 minutes, Durie was rewarded for his persistence and again it was Cleland who engineered the opening. He sent in a deep cross from the right, Durie rose at the far post and directed a powerful header beyond Knudsen and into the corner of the net.
In 34 minutes, Laudrup went off, clutching his ribs and, a few minutes later, McCoist appeared in his place.
By then, Antti Niemi, in the Rangers goal, had yet to deal with any serious threat. It was the second half before the Finnish keeper was brought into action, punching a corner off his line. Apart from that moment, it was soon the script as before, with Rangers surging forward into attack and the Faroese defending desperately.
In 61 minutes, Negri was involved in a clever move that brought Rangers' third goal. Jonas Thern began things with a clever ball forward to Negri, the striker pushed it on down the left for Albertz, who sent in a low cross that McCoist finished expertly.
It was a sweet moment for the veteran who knew that he had managed to notch yet another record.
Durie scored his second goal 10 minutes from the end. McCoist set up the chance with a cross from the left and Durie's volley was touched by Knudsen, but this time the keeper could not stop the ball.
Before the game petered out, Rangers set up a storming finish. Knudsen saved magnificently from a Negri header and Tony Vidmar sent another header just off target. Then, to crown his night, McCoist scored once more.
In the dying moments of the game Albertz sent him clear. He moved into the box, and, as Knudsen left his goal-line, McCoist curled the ball perfectly past the keeper and it finished in the net as McCoist celebrated.
Now comes the return. Rangers left happy with the performance, happy with the way their new players are settling, but manager Smith will not be happy that three of the players - Negri, Durie, and Albertz - collected bookings in a game where they won easily.
GI GOTU - Knudsen, Rasmussen, H Jarnskor, Samal Joensen, Hansen, Hojgaard, M Jarnskor, P Jarnskor, S Justinussen, R Justinussen, Magnussen. Substitutes - Henason, J Olsen, S Olsen, Sunnvard Joensen, Jacobsen, Nesa, Jorfoss.
RANGERS - Niemi, Cleland, Bjorklund, Moore, Vidmar, Thern, Albertz, Negri, Ferguson, Durie, Laudrup. Substitutes - McCoist, Andersen, Durrant, Wright, Gattuso, Van Vossen, Snelders.
Referee - J Hirviniemi (Finland).
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