Defensive majesty edges Rangers closer to crown

Jean Rivets THE stage is set. Rangers will be reunited with Dick Advocaat in Manchester, on May 14, and with the UEFA Cup at stake. Nacho Novo converted the decisive penalty to complete another remarkable chapter in an epic and increasingly fated European adventure.Rangers, once again, overcame grim adversity inside the Stadio Artemio Franchi. Fiorentina will for ever be haunted by the events that conspired against them. Rangers, drunk with fatigue, sustained the silly sending-off of Daniel Cousin and survived Sebastian Frey saving Barry Ferguson's introductory penalty.Rangers' third shootout success of the season was the most pulsating. Steven Whittaker, Sasa Papac and Brahim Hemdani were unlikely volunteers for the lottery. Neil Alexander further endeared himself with a fine save from Fabio Liverani's effort and as Christian Vieri sent Fiorentina's final attempt into orbit, Novo emerged as the hero.Walter Smith's ambitions were founded on a defensive majesty. Carlos Cuellar has perhaps already played his way to a higher calling. Last night, the Spaniard exceeded even his prodigious standards of security. His football brain is at intellectual level and alongside the age-defying David Weir, he gradually sapped the will from a team that found every route to goal blocked.Weir confounded a groin injury to take his place and during the late besiegement of Rangers' goal, alone absorbed more direct hits on the forehead than a journeyman boxer.For long periods, Rangers' goal enjoyed a charmed existence amid the shrapnel of the Italians' attacks.On an evening of intense drama, it was appropriate that UEFA should appoint the theatrical referee, Frank De Bleeckere. The Belgian issued his customary red card, to the lamentable figure of Cousin. The substitute received two cautions, the second for going head-to-head with Liverani in extra time. It added to what at times seemed an intolerable burden.The Stadio Artemio Franchi was awash with vibrant purple, aflutter with flags and abuzz with excitement long before La Viola had even commenced their warm-up. Amid the warmth of early summer, the open-neck stadium was a sight to behold, nestled prettily in the shadows of the lush and fertile Tuscan hills.For Rangers, the rustic splendour was a perfect setting for a thrilling final leg of an intrepid journey towards the UEFA Cup final. The natives indulged in a spot of motivational nostalgia, introducing the surviving members of the 1961 European Cup-winners' Cup along with, it seemed, every kid in Florence for a pre-match sing-song. The response was tumultuous, the performance in the manner of the Eurovision Song Contest.Fiorentina's fleur-de-lys has flourished under the feted Prandelli. Persisting with a three-pronged attack, with the powerful Giampaolo Pazzini at its apex, was a backhanded compliment to Rangers' defensive obduracy. Smith has been unapologetic over the strategy that various idealists have regarded as an affront and even applied fresh rivets with the return of Ferguson and Kevin Thomson from suspension.Rangers' game plan involved outnumbering and overwhelming Fiorentina's midfield trio, thus depriving Pazzini and his partners of service. Encouragingly, the anticipated early onslaught never materialised as the home side sought to confuse their guests by adopting their own counter-attacking policy. Rangers started with a zip and purpose that was reminiscent of their uncharacteristically lavish play in Lisbon.Ferguson, seemingly sensing the enormity of the occasion, stuck rigidly to his remit as primary support to Jean-Claude Darcheville, and later Cousin, content in the knowledge that Hemdani and Thomson provided layers of security behind him.Whittaker was the focus of a popular diagonal out-ball from Alexander. He won the majority of his aerial jousts with Martin Jorgensen, a converted winger, until Alessandro Gamberini, the formidable Fiorentina centre back, cottoned-on to a ploy that was hardly subtle.On the opposite flank, Steven Davis performed with an energy and drive that curtailed the attacking tendencies of Massimo Gobbi and offered reassurance to a fragile Kirk Broadfoot. Shadowing Adrian Mutu was a thankless task but, aside from the occasional stutter, the derided defender enjoyed a rejuvenating shift.Fiorentina flirted around Alexander's penalty box in front of some unimpressed doormen. Cuellar's instinctive timing gave him a head-start whenever the home side deigned to involve Pazzini. Weir's composure bordered on eccentric as he weaved his way out of tricky situations. It was a night for expression.Riccardo Montolivo became a growing influence as the game developed an enthralling edge. The midfielder sprung forward in support of his subdued strikers but was restricted to hopeful rather than expectant dunts at goal.After a dormant first half, Fiorentina assumed a more direct approach. Jorgensen's long ball to Zdravko Kuzmanovic took Rangers by surprise but also the Serb substitute. The home fans' patience with the Scots' suffocating style soon evaporated amid a chorus of whistling. It was the cue for Fiorentina to up their efforts.Mutu danced inside Broadfoot and his near-post delivery was stabbed inches wide by Pazzini. For the first time, Rangers wobbled as the Romanian began to revel.Tomas Ujfalusi diverted Liverani's botched attempt during a flurry of activity around a increasingly agitated Alexander. The goalkeeper spilled a low drive from Mutu but recovered before Pazzini could pounce.The introduction of Christian Vieri added an imposing dimension to Fiorentina's forward play and the veteran duly peppered Alexander's goal with pot-shots from the moment he replaced Pazzini.Then, amid the bombardment, Whittaker struck a shot that was destined for glory until Frey clawed it to safety. Cousin interrupted a tentative extra time with an act of folly and the goalkeeper again kept his team alive with a vital block from Novo. The Spaniard would have his moment of heroism.