Rangers draw blank against PSG

Claudio Caniggia was unable to break the deadlock

Rangers 0-0 Paris St Germain

Rangers endured a night of frustration at Ibrox as they were held to a goal-less draw by Paris St Germain.

The home side missed a string of chances in a first half they totally dominated.

But PSG improved after the break and had as many chances to score as Rangers.

Rangers' disappointment was completed by the dismissal of Fernando Ricksen with 10 minutes remaining.

Rangers boss Dick Advocaat insisted afterwards that the tie was still alive but admitted that his side's profligacy in front of goal could prove costly.

"We are capable of scoring goals. Sometimes you get more chances in an away game than a home game because the other team has to come out more," he said.

Claudio Reyna and Hugo Leal tangle

PSG coach Luis Fernandez was delighted with the result.

"It would have been better to have scored a goal but when it's 0-0 it's a good result to take home to the next leg," said the Frenchman.

"I think both sides had opportunities to score but at the end of the day 0-0 was a fair result."

The first chance of the match fell to Rangers. Tore Andre Flo forced his way through the PSG defence but a heavy touch allowed Letizi to block his effort.

The ball squirmed free but Caniggia's follow-up was somehow deflected over the bar by Potillon.

Defence carved open

The French side had not come to Ibrox to defend however and it required a good block by Michael Ball to prevent Hugo Leal's powerful shot from testing Klos.

Ronald de Boer missed Rangers' best chance of the evening so far in 17 minutes when a Caniggia cross left him with an open goal, but he contrived to put it wide.

The home side had another opportunity in 36 minutes when a De Boer flick played Reyna in on goal, but the American mis-hit his right-foot effort wide of target.

PSG came as close as they had in the game in 49 minutes when Arteta cut inside and fired a left-foot shot just wide of Klos' goal.

Arthur Numan holds off Frederic Dehu

Caniggia carved open the French defence in 52 minutes to set up Reyna on the edge of the box, but the ball fell to his left foot and he dragged his shot wide.

Klos was called upon to keep the score level in 65 minutes when Hugo Leal played a one-two with Ogbeche before unleashing a fierce effort that Klos needed two attempts to hold.

Rangers had a penalty claim turned down in 73 minutes when De Boer went down in the box, but he looked to have been giving as good as he was getting.

Ricksen had been involved in various personal battles and having picked up a booking for a bad tackle on Leroy, he was shown the red card for pushing Heinze as he tried to retrieve the ball to take a throw-in.

A timely tackle by Amoruso deep into injury time ensured the scoreline remained blank.

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Rangers: Klos, Amoruso, Konterman, Ball, Ricksen, Reyna, Ferguson, Numan, Caniggia, De Boer, Flo.

Subs: Christiansen, Mols, Dodds, Wilson, Latapy, Ross, Lovenkrands.

Paris SG: Letizi, Cristobal, Pochettino, Heinze, Potillon, Arteta, Dehu, Leal, Ronaldinho, Ogbeche, Leroy.

Subs: Aloisio, El Karkouri, Llacer, Domi, Cisse, Dias, Alonzo.

Referee: Karl-Eric Nilsson (Sweden)