Rod Wallace grabbed a priceless second-half equaliser as Rangers kept their UEFA Cup bid alive against highly-rated Italian side Parma.

Roddy Forsyth reports (BBC Radio 5 Live)

The former Leeds frontman struck in the 69th minute to cancel out Abel Balbo's opener and earn the Glasgow giants a creditable draw in the first leg of their third round tie.

Parma began in impressive fashion and the home side struggled to keep their array of international talent at bay early on.

But the longer the match went on the stronger Rangers became and they thoroughly deserved their equaliser after an impressive second-half display.

Delight for Balbo as Parma take the lead

The first clear-cut chance of the game fell to Hernan Crespo after 14 minutes, but the striker hit his shot straight at Rangers keeper Antti Niemi after rounding Lorenzo Amoruso.

Argentina midfielder Juan Veron then blazed over in the 23rd minute after he was sent through by Mario Stanic, as Parma continued to look dangerous every time they broke forward.

Rangers did not genuinely threaten until the half-hour, when Andrei Kanchelskis' volleyed wide from Wallace's pass.

Ian Ferguson fired in a 25-yard drive in the closing minute of the first half, forcing Gianluigi Buffon into his first save of the match.

Albertz and Ferguson tussle with Veron

Jonatan Johansson, ineffective in the first half, was replaced by Gabriel Amato after the break and Rangers immediately took the game to the visitors with Jorg Albertz firing in a fierce effort that Buffon did well to palm away.

But the 49,000 crowd were silence in the 51st minute as Parma took the lead.

Veron slipped a penetrating ball through the middle and Crespo fired in a shot, which Niemi got a hand to - but the ball rebounded to Balbo, who made the most of his easy task from close range.

The Italians almost went further ahead soon after but Colin Hendry hacked the ball away after Crespo's effort had beaten Niemi.

Thuram tries to take ball around Wallace

Hendry, who was sound at the back all night, was given a thunderous reception for that effort, which saw him collide with the post.

And he rewarded the crowd for their support with a crucial role in the equaliser.

With 21 minutes left Hendry nodded down a cross from Albertz and Wallace was on hand to hook the ball into the net.

Rangers now pressed on for a winner and were furious when French referee Alain Sars refused to give a penalty after Amato went down under Luigi Sartor's challenge.

In the dying seconds there could have been further goals - first substitute Gordon Durie fluffed a golden chance, somehow heading over the top from eight yards after Amato had played the ball in.

And then it needed a brilliant save from Niemi in injury time to deny substitute Stefano Fiore, the Finnish keeper managing to parry his close-range effort.

"It was quite difficult in the first half - not that we gave any chances away, but we were unable to create much. But after we scored our goal we put them under pressure," said Rangers coach Dick Advocaat.

"Especially in the last 30 minutes we did a good job, but we know they remain the kind of team who will punish one mistake and you have always have to be concentrated against them."

Teams:

Rangers: Niemi, Porrini, Amoruso, Hendry, Numan, B. Ferguson, Kanchelskis, Albertz, I. Ferguson, Wallace, Johansson. Subs: Durie, Amato, Stensaas, Wilson, Vidmar, Miller, Brown.

Parma: Buffon, Bennarivo, Sartor, Baggio, Crespo, Veron, Stanic, Boghossain, Cannavaro, Balbo, Thuram. Subs: Guardalden, Pedros, Giunti, Sensini, Orlandini, Fiore, Vanol.