April 8th 1993. The Daily Record.
Storm Troopers.
Marseille 1 Rangers 2
Rangers very own Foreign Legionaires stormed the Southern French city, gaining a magnificent victory last night.
The legions from Ibrox travelled to the city which boasts strong links with the famous fighting force and emerged from the battle victorious.
Whilst the Light Blues, led superbly by captain Richard Gough, fought as if their lives depended upon it, some of Raymond Goethal's star-studded side went awol. Whilst the war is not won, at the end of the match it was Marseille who were the side on retreat.
The number one seeds had gone out with all guns blazing and looked to be heading for victory.
The home fans clearly thought so as well. They were in full battle cry until the moment the bullet strike from Ian Durrants right boot cut down their high spirits.
Suddenly the Velodrome did not seem quite so intimidating. The French fans seemed like a crowd of condemmed waiting for the firing squad - and how the 1,000 Rangers fans loved it.
Just two minutes earlier, they had watched in anguish as Franck Sauzee curled a 20 yard free kickover the Rangers wall and then in delight as, with Andy Goram rooted to the spot, the ball crashed off the crossbar. By that time, Sauzee had already-and it really was a case of Rangers shooting themselves in the foot.
It came from Marseilles first attack, when a David Robertson clearance was intercepted by Sauzee. He sent Rudi Voller down the right and when the German striker pulled the ball back into the box, Sauzee fired it into Gorams bottom left hand corner.
Rangers tried to hit back immediately, when Dave McPherson rose to meet a John Brown free kick, bt sent his header wide.
The great header by Abedi Pele deep inside the Rangers box kept the deficit down to 1-0.
After that, indisipline started to creep into the Marseille ranks, whilst Rangers remained as solid as ever.
They had a great chance to equalise on the half-hour when Peter Huistra switched the ball to Ian Durrant on the right side and cut it across the goal, unfortunately for the Scots, it reached Ally McCoist at a difficult height and he could only hook it over the bar.
The chance came as a result of Gough and McPherson creating havoc in the box at a set-piece and both were involved again in the next few minutes.
First Gough got on the end of a Durrant chip, but had his shot deflected off for a corner, from which McPhersons header was saved by Fabien Barthez.
And so it proved seven minutes into the second half. A Trevor Steven corner from the left found its way to Ian Durrant lurking on the far right hand side of the box and he took aim and rifled the ball past Barthez. Rangers were back in the
game.
Marseille tried hard to get back onto level terms, Rangers were in no mood to surrender though. Not even the loss of David Robertson and Peter Huistra, replaced by Neil Murray and Gary McSwegan could break their resolve.
Victory came in the most dramatic fashion. First Ian Ferguson sent McSwegan down the right, who then floated the perfect cross across the centre to a waiting Ally McCoist who sent the ball into the back of the French champions net. Secomnds later, the referee Van der Ende blew the full time whistle.
Rangers are a draw away from the European Cup Final.
Marseille: Barthez, Angloma, Di Meco, Boli, Sauzee, Desailly, Eydelie, Boksic, Voller, Pele, Deschamps. Subs(not used)-Casoni, Thomas, Durand, Ferreri, Olmeta.
Rangers: Goram, McCall, D Robertson(Murray 54),Gough, McPherson, Brown, Steven, Ferguson, McCoist, Durrant, Huistra(McSwegan 79)
Subs(not used)-Maxwell, Kuznetzov, Pressley.
Scorers:Marseille:-Di Meco(16) Rangers:-Durrant(52), McCoist(89)
to be continued................
Storm Troopers.
Marseille 1 Rangers 2
Rangers very own Foreign Legionaires stormed the Southern French city, gaining a magnificent victory last night.
The legions from Ibrox travelled to the city which boasts strong links with the famous fighting force and emerged from the battle victorious.
Whilst the Light Blues, led superbly by captain Richard Gough, fought as if their lives depended upon it, some of Raymond Goethal's star-studded side went awol. Whilst the war is not won, at the end of the match it was Marseille who were the side on retreat.
The number one seeds had gone out with all guns blazing and looked to be heading for victory.
The home fans clearly thought so as well. They were in full battle cry until the moment the bullet strike from Ian Durrants right boot cut down their high spirits.
Suddenly the Velodrome did not seem quite so intimidating. The French fans seemed like a crowd of condemmed waiting for the firing squad - and how the 1,000 Rangers fans loved it.
Just two minutes earlier, they had watched in anguish as Franck Sauzee curled a 20 yard free kickover the Rangers wall and then in delight as, with Andy Goram rooted to the spot, the ball crashed off the crossbar. By that time, Sauzee had already-and it really was a case of Rangers shooting themselves in the foot.
It came from Marseilles first attack, when a David Robertson clearance was intercepted by Sauzee. He sent Rudi Voller down the right and when the German striker pulled the ball back into the box, Sauzee fired it into Gorams bottom left hand corner.
Rangers tried to hit back immediately, when Dave McPherson rose to meet a John Brown free kick, bt sent his header wide.
The great header by Abedi Pele deep inside the Rangers box kept the deficit down to 1-0.
After that, indisipline started to creep into the Marseille ranks, whilst Rangers remained as solid as ever.
They had a great chance to equalise on the half-hour when Peter Huistra switched the ball to Ian Durrant on the right side and cut it across the goal, unfortunately for the Scots, it reached Ally McCoist at a difficult height and he could only hook it over the bar.
The chance came as a result of Gough and McPherson creating havoc in the box at a set-piece and both were involved again in the next few minutes.
First Gough got on the end of a Durrant chip, but had his shot deflected off for a corner, from which McPhersons header was saved by Fabien Barthez.
And so it proved seven minutes into the second half. A Trevor Steven corner from the left found its way to Ian Durrant lurking on the far right hand side of the box and he took aim and rifled the ball past Barthez. Rangers were back in the
game.
Marseille tried hard to get back onto level terms, Rangers were in no mood to surrender though. Not even the loss of David Robertson and Peter Huistra, replaced by Neil Murray and Gary McSwegan could break their resolve.
Victory came in the most dramatic fashion. First Ian Ferguson sent McSwegan down the right, who then floated the perfect cross across the centre to a waiting Ally McCoist who sent the ball into the back of the French champions net. Secomnds later, the referee Van der Ende blew the full time whistle.
Rangers are a draw away from the European Cup Final.
Marseille: Barthez, Angloma, Di Meco, Boli, Sauzee, Desailly, Eydelie, Boksic, Voller, Pele, Deschamps. Subs(not used)-Casoni, Thomas, Durand, Ferreri, Olmeta.
Rangers: Goram, McCall, D Robertson(Murray 54),Gough, McPherson, Brown, Steven, Ferguson, McCoist, Durrant, Huistra(McSwegan 79)
Subs(not used)-Maxwell, Kuznetzov, Pressley.
Scorers:Marseille:-Di Meco(16) Rangers:-Durrant(52), McCoist(89)
to be continued................