Attendance 54,224
A late goal from Madjid Bougherra enabled Rangers to open the Emirates Cup with a 1-0 win over Paris St. Germaine this afternoon.
The Light Blue legions numbered some 10,000 amongst a crowd of 54,000 at the Emirates Stadium - and it was Rangers who made the early running with Kenny Miller just thwarted by the outrushing Gregory Coupet following a superb pass from Pedro Mendes in thirteen minutes.
Two minutes later Miller turned provider - his deep cross being inches away from the inrushing Kyle Lafferty.
Mendes almost opened the scoring in 32 minutes when his shot from a Nacho Novo cross was deflected wide.
It had been all Rangers - but suddenly PSG came to life Mevlut Erding inches away from converting a Jean-Eudes Maurice cross, then in the next attack it was Maurice whose twenty-yard shot was inches wide.
The French side finished the half on top - Loris Arnaud's chip from Clement Chantome's cross landing on the roof of the net in forty minutes, then three minutes loater Jerome Rothen's 25-yard shot was inches over.
Rangers netted five minutes after the restart when Lafferty headed home a Mendes corner only for the goal to be chalked off for an alleged foul.
Three minutes later Elding just failed to make contact with Rothen's cross.
Walter Smith made a quadruple substitution on the hour with Kevin Thomson. DaMarcus Beasley, Aaron and Kris Boyd replacing Lee McCulloch, Novo, Lafferty and Miller.
Seven minutes later a suoerb piece of skill from Mendes freed Boyd through on goal, but his lack of pace enabled Coupet to block his effort.
Steven Naismith replaced Steve Davis in seventy minutes.
Six minutes later the deadlock was broken when Bougherra found the net via the underside of the crossbar with a header from a Mendes corner.
Thomson was denied a second in 82 minutes when his 25-yard free-kick was touched wide by Coupet.
Rangers were worthy winners - and in the second game of the day Arsenal defeated Atletico Madrid 2-1, all three goals coming in the last four minutes with old friend Andrey Arshavin netting both home counters.
Afterwards a contented Walter Smith reflected:
"I'm pleased to win. It was a good game. We had the majority of possession although PSG perhaps had more chances. Nevertheless it was a good workout."
RANGERS Alexander; Whittaker, Weir, Bougherra, Papac; Novo (Beasley 60), Mendes, McCulloch (Thomson 60), Davis (Naismith 70), Lafferty (Aaron 60); Miller (Boyd 60)
UNUSED SUBS Velicka, McGregor, Smith, Little, Shinnie
PARIS ST. GERMAIN Coupet; Jallet, Sakho, Bourillon, Sankhare; Maurice, Makelele, Chantome, Rothen; Arnaud, Elding (Boli 72)
UNUSED SUBS Ngoyi, Edel, Baning
REREREE Alan Kelly (Republic of Ireland)