Beasley belts Gers into next round

by RivalsDM

Updated: August 7, 2007, 6:03 PM EST 41 comments

The American, who played in the semi-finals of this competition for PSV Eindhoven two years ago, lashed a 20-yard shot past Zeta goalkeeper Sasa Ivanovic in the 81st minute to extend Rangers' aggregate lead to 3-0 after last week's victory at Ibrox.

Beasley and team-mate Jean-Claude Darcheville had earlier experienced some racist taunting from the home crowd on a night which was otherwise apparently trouble-free for Rangers.

Kris Boyd started on the bench for Rangers in Montenegro as they looked to protect a 2-0 first-leg lead in their Champions League second round qualifier against FK Zeta.

The striker was struggling with an ankle injury ahead of the game, with Darcheville fielded as the only out-and-out striker, with Lee McCulloch and Beasley for support.

Rangers were without right-back Alan Hutton, sent off in the first leg, and Kirk Broadfoot filled in. Charlie Adam, who failed to shine in the first leg, was replaced - as he was at Inverness on Saturday - by Kevin Thomson.

The attention of UEFA was on the Rangers supporters, a minority of whom have let the club down with sectarian chanting in recent European games, and in Saturday's Clydesdale Premier League match at Inverness.

Zeta made just one change, with Nenad Djurovic coming into the defence at the expense of Milan Vuckovic.

They approached the match at the Gradski Stadium - not their regular home, but chosen to accommodate the largest crowd - with the conviction that Rangers' lead could be overturned.

After a quiet start, the first threat came from Slaven Stjepanovic down the left, but Broadfoot dealt well with the danger.

McCulloch shot well wide from 25 yards in the ninth minute, before Beasley shot just wide from 20 yards.

The first booking went to Blazo Igumanovic in the 23rd minute for a late tackle, before Stjepanovic shot over.

Cetkovic wriggled past three defenders and set up Bojan Ivanovic for a low shot which McGregor had to get down quickly to gather.

McGregor then carelessly missed a cross before gathering after a high bounce.

Broadfoot failed to make the most of a headed chance, while Beasley remained dangerous coming in from the right flank, winning a couple of free-kicks.

Miroslav Kaludjerovic made a last-ditch challenge to deny Darcheville as the Frenchman threatened just before the break.

Djurovic was booked in the fourth minute of the second half for a reckless challenge on McCulloch, sliding in near the halfway line after the ball had gone.

The hosts made their first change in the 56th minute when the injured Djurovic was replaced by Ivan Knezevic.

Rangers collected their first booking two minutes later with Broadfoot the offender, and Darcheville was soon replaced by Nacho Novo.

McCulloch moved into the central attacking role, with Novo and Beasley his supporting cast.

Zarko Korac wasted a decent chance to halve Rangers' lead when he headed over the bar from eight yards.

McGregor then helped out his defenders with a punched clearance after Ivanovic threatened to get on the end of a long pass over the top.

Ivanovic went down and the crowd briefly demanded a penalty, but Italian referee Paolo Dondarini saw nothing wrong.

Dondarini turned down appeals from Broadfoot soon afterwards when the defender, on a burst forward, stumbled over a challenge.

McCulloch's shot after a laboured build-up was still rising when it cleared the bar - and the same player headed over the bar from Rangers' next chance.

Zeta might have had a penalty in the 75th minute when Stjepanovic went down under the challenge of Broadfoot.

He looked to have been caught but made his protests too vigorously for the referee, who booked the striker.

Beasley netted the only goal of the night in the 81st minute, darting in off the left flank and drilling a low right-footed shot just inside the left post.

Zeta's flapping goalkeeper Sasa Ivanovic dropped a Barry Ferguson cross as Rangers pushed for another goal, before Novo sliced a shot well wide after Thomson picked out his run.

Substitute Adam, on for Thomson, slashed another shot off target, but Rangers cruised to the final whistle.

They await either Red Star Belgrade or Levadia Tallinn in the next round, with the second leg of that tie in Estonia on Wednesday evening.