Amoruso downs Dundee Utd

Charlie Miller (left) squandered United's best chance

Dundee United 0-1 Rangers

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Rangers made heavy weather of stuffy Dundee United before making their dominance tell thanks to a Lorenzo Amoruso penalty at Tannadice.

A rutted and sanded pitch made it difficult for second-top Rangers to play their normal passing game.

And United looked like they might hold out for a draw until Russell Latapy was upended by Craig Easton in the penalty box after 66 minutes.

Rangers' man of the match, Amoruso, coolly slotted home the resulting penalty to virtually end United's hopes of making the top six by the time the Scottish Premier League splits into two.

Russell Latapy (centre) won Rangers a penalty

Ronald de Boer, captain Barry Ferguson and Bert Konterman were missing for Rangers, having been injured during Rangers' Uefa Cup defeat by Feyenoord.

Dutch defender Fernando Ricksen returned from suspension and took up an unfamiliar central midfield spot alongside Stephen Hughes, with Latapy taking up a more advanced position.

United had even even greater personnel problems and David Hannah and Tassos Venetis came in for David McCracken and Hasney Aljofree, while Derek Lilley was suspended.

There was an early chance for Venetis from a Jim Lauchlan free-kick, but the Greek winger headed straight at Stefan Klos under pressure from stand-in captain Arthur Numan.

Rangers quickly took control of possession and goalkeeper Paul Gallacher did well to turn a superb, curling effort from Peter Lovekrands round the post then divert a thumping Amoruso free kick over the top.

Rangers' injury-prone Dutch striker, Michael Mols, pulled up nursing the back of his thigh and was replaced with Tore Andre Flo after 37 minutes.

Another player who has suffered serious injury in recent years, United midfielder Jamie Fullarton, also had to be replaced just before half-time.

Jamie McCracken came on as Rangers continued to dominate without creating many clear-cut chances.

Lorenzo Amoruso (centre) scored from the spot

Neil McCann threatened first after the break, when his low drive was spilled by Gallacher, but BBC Scotland man of the match Danny Griffin was on hand to clear the danger.

Charlie Miller had a chance at the other end against his former club when he broke clear.

But, instead of passing to the unmarked David Winters, the midfielder tried to go it alone and lost the ball to Amoruso.

United paid for that miss after 66 minutes, when Easton ended Latapy's trickery in the box by clipping the Trinidad and Tobogo international's heels.

Amoruso took one step forward before sending the goalkeeper the wrong way with his powerful penalty kick.

United put Rangers under intense pressure in the closing five minutes but had left it too late to adopt a more attacking mentality.

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Dundee Utd: Gallacher, McCunnie, Griffin, Lauchlan, Fullarton, Easton, Hannah, Miller, Venetis, Winters, Thompson. Subs: Jarvie, McCracken, McConalogue, Carson, Duff.

Rangers: Klos, Ricksen, Amoruso, Vidmar, Numan, Ross, Hughes, Latapy, McCann, Mols, Lovenkrands. Subs: McGregor, Flo, Dodds, Kanchelskis, Wilson.

Referee: W Young.