RANGERS SUFFER ISRAELI DEFEAT - Hapoel Tel Aviv 2 ( Toama 25, Degu 75) Rangers 1 (Novo 52)

Last updated : 24 February 2007 By Southside Johnny
Attendance 13,000

It is a result that leaves the outcome of the tie very much in the balance, with Hapoel due to visit Ibrox in eight days time.

The Bloomfield Stadium, set in the heart of the old port of Jaffa, was an intimidating, atmospheric arena with 13,000 spectators present.

Manager Walter Smith made three changes from Kilmarnock with Karl Svensson, Gavin Rae and Nacho Novo replacing Ugo Ehiogu, Kevin Thomson and Charlie Adam.

Both sides went into tonight's game aware that Bordeaux and Atletico Osasuna had drawn 0-0 in France tonight, the winners of course meeting each other in the next round.

The Light Blues found themselves on the back foot from the opening minutes with Ibe Zito Ogbona's chip being just wide in eight minutes.

Five minutes later, with the pressure intensifying, Wellington De Oliveira's shot was blocked at close quarters, the rebound falling to Ogbona whose drive was scrambled away by Allan McGregor.

Rangers at last began to make an impact - Novo's header from a Burke cross being just wide of the target, then ten minutes later a David Weir header from Burke's corner was too high.

With the interval approaching, Hapoel opened the scoring in 42 minutes with a superb 25-yard free-kick from Salim Toama - but it was a free-kick that should never have been awarded, Weir's tackle on Ogbona being perfectly fair.

The loss of the goal clearly changed the situation, and Rangers restarted in search of a priceless away goal.

A strong penalty claim was denied in 49 minutes when Weir's header from a Burke corner was clearly handled by Ram Doani.

Portuguese Referee Pedro Proenca waved play on, but the scores were levelled three minutes later when Barry Ferguson's twenty-yard free-kick was deflected onto a post, the rebound being turned home by Novo for his eighth European goal.

The balance of the tie had now turned in Rangers' favour, but Hapoel came back in search of a second goal - Elyaniv Barda's shot on the turn in 68 minutes from a Toama corner flashing over.

Seven minutes later it was 2-1 when Barda created space on the right before squaring the ball for Baruch Degu to sweep home.

Rangers fought for an equaliser in the closing minutes, substitute Charlie Adam seeing his chip turned over by home goalkeeper Shavit Elimelch.

Afterwards Walter Smith reflected:

"I thought 1-1 was a more likely outcome, and was dissapointed we lost. The first goal was never a free-kick, although it was a terrific effort. We were denied a clear penalty, but we do have an away goal."

HAPOEL TEL AVIV: Elimerch; Bondarv, Badeer, Doani, Autobi; Ogbonda (Vermouth 86), De Oliveira (De Bruno 66), Abukasis (Chen 82), Toama; Barda, Degu
UNUSED SUBS: Ben Shanan, Abutbol, Jolie, Perez

RANGERS: McGregor; Hutton, Weir, Svensson, Murray; Rae, Hemdani, Ferguson, Burke (Adam 82); Novo (Sionko 78), Boyd

REFEREE: Pedro Proenca (Portugal)