FIRST the Olympic flame was doused, now Craig Moore's Champions League aspirations have been extinguished for another year. The deposed Rangers captain made a return to first team after a separation seemingly beyond reconciliation. For the majority of last night's compelling drama, it promised to be a blissful reunion.

One blot on an otherwise flawless defensive performance renders Rangers Champions League also-rans, a damaging failure to more than the club's escalating debt. Moore was partly responsible for last night's fatal blow, but by no means the worst offender, when he was left stranded by Jiri Karosic in the build-up to Vagner Love's goal.

It is this perennial underachievement which has sickened Moore of Scottish football but unless a deal can be struck in the next five days, player and club are stuck with each other until the next transfer window. His career at Ibrox seemed doomed after 11 years of service interrupted by a short-lived spell in the English Premiership with Crystal Palace. The long-held ambition of representing his country in the Olympic Games was regarded by him employers - with some justification - as a lack of loyalty in their time of desperate need.

Resigned to failure in the hotly contested Oceania World Cup qualifying group, Moore's acceptance of Frank Farina's invitation to Athens as one of three over-23 players exacerbated what was an already uneasy relationship with Alex McLeish.

Frustrated by the sale of Rangers' best players, and his closest dressing room colleagues, Moore was further disenchanted by what he perceived as a lack of respect shown to him by McLeish.

His commitment to Australia prompted the manager to remove the badge of honour and promote his sale with Fernando Ricksen. Blackburn Rovers' reluctance to extend their Rangers colony left Moore in limbo but with upwards of (pounds) 6m riding on this evening's result, and the transfer deadline less than a week away, the manager's refusal to ''cut his nose to spite his face'' was again in evidence, just as it had been after Ricksen failed to move in the summer.

There is an element of the Rangers support, mostly gnarled veterans of the totalitarian regimes of Bill Struth or Jock Wallace, who maintain Moore should never again wear the jersey, far less the armband. The vast majority, though, accepted him into their bosom last night as he bounded out for a warm-up with understandable trepidation.

He and Dragan Mladenovic engaged in a warm handshake, as though the pair had only been introduced. For all the confidence inspired by the return of the dependable defender, the worrying fact remained he had hardly been acquainted with Jean-Alain Boumsong.

A crash course in harmonising had evidently taken place. Moore received audible approval for a commanding challenge with Jarosik which set the tone for an imperious hour before hopes crumbled.

Where Moore was effective, Boumsong was masterful until Love's goal sapped Rangers. Having made only a handful of appearances for Rangers, already he has attracted the attention of Newcastle United and Chelsea. It is easy to see why. Immaculate in his interceptions, he possesses the gift of being able to be construct play without causing palpitations.

The duo forging a sustained partnership is an attractive prospect.

Yet it remains doubtful if either has a long term future at the club, with Boumsong

widely understood to be steeling himself for life in the Premiership and Moore craving one last crack in England.

For now, they must be content with the UEFA Cup, even though another precarious preliminary tie no doubt awaits.

HOW rangers players RATED . . .Kevin McAllion

Stefan Klos The German was his usual reliable self and produced a series of great saves to stop CSKA extending their advantage as Rangers went for broke8

Fernando Ricksen Seemed in a state of shock early on as the Russians had the gall to dish out the kind of crude challenges which normally characterise his own unique style of defending. Wandered about in a trance thereafter, wasting countless passes, worst of all an inexcusable ball across his own penalty area 5

Craig Moore Looked calm and composed in the first half but wilted after an hour and was fatally outpaced by Jarosik for the opener. Lucky not to give away a certain penalty after Olic again exploited his severe lack of speed late on5

Jean-Alain Boumsong Continued his imperious form of the opening league encounters and came to Rangers' rescue with some crucial last-gasp interventions. The Frenchman was the best thing in a blue shirt and his superb form will no doubt attract suitors in the coming months8

Gregory Vignal Comfortable on the ball but often wasteful in possession, the on-loan Liverpool defender struggled to build a solid relationship with Lovenkrands. Came close to a leveller with a fine free kick6

Shota Arveladze Provided most of the midfield creativity and often tricked his way past defenders only to disappoint with the final ball 6

Dragan Mladenovic Clearly lacked match practice but looked comfortable as he knocked a series of nice passes about in midfield. Was less enamoured with the chore of tackling and seemed reluctant to risk another injury 6

Stephen Hughes Cast in the unfamiliar role of midfield bruiser alongside human pipecleaner Mladenovic, but went about his task with such gusto in the early sparring that it appeared someone had

drip-fed him a bottle of Buckfast before the game. Drifted out of the game as the Russians took control in the second half6

Peter Lovenkrands Any notions of a return to form were dismissed by another performance racked with self-doubt. Found himself in great wide positions at various junctures but never looked like delivering a telling cross4

Dado Prso Held the ball up well and tried to bring the Rangers midfield into the game. However, the Croat never got himself into scoring positions and drifted out to the flanks far too regularly 6

Nacho Novo The Russian defence looked distinctly ill at ease when faced with the Spaniard's dancing feet and he was desperately unlucky to see a superb solo goal harshly ruled out for an earlier stoppage6

Substitutes

Steven Thompson Gave Rangers a ray of light with a superbly taken finish with three minutes left and his physical presence unsettled the Russian defence6

Marvin Andrews If one man was going to conjure up a miracle it was Big Marv but he's no striker as witnessed by a terrible finish when presented with a chance to take the game into extra-time5