Rangers progress in Belgrade

An outstanding defensive display from Rangers at Red Star Belgrade carried Walter Smith's side into the group stages of the Champions League following their goalless draw - with a 1-0 aggregate victory.

Celtic will look to join them on Wednesday, when they take on Spartak Moscow at Parkhead, and it could be a glorious double for Scotland's clubs.

Nacho Novo's late goal in the first leg at Ibrox two weeks ago proved decisive as Rangers withstood all the pressure Red Star could muster to secure a 1-0 aggregate victory.

Red Star had promised they would intimidate Rangers, but Smith's side kept their cool to secure themselves a place in Thursday's draw.

They could have won it, Jean-Claude Darcheville having the best chance of the second half but missing the target. However a goalless draw was enough to carry Rangers through, securing the chance to face the best in Europe plus a minimum of £10million to swell the accounts.

Smith brought in Brahim Hemdani, Lee McCulloch and Darcheville as he reverted to his usual European formation of 4-5-1.

All the preparation almost went out the window in the first minute when centre-back Carlos Cuellar missed a long ball but Allan McGregor blocked Igor Burzanovic's low shot. The Rangers keeper made several more good saves to take his side through, while Darcheville was a persistent pest to the Red Star defence.

The Frenchman claimed a penalty in the fourth minute when his surging run from the right flank was halted by a challenge from Ibrahima Gueye which sent him sprawling.

The former Bordeaux man looked immediately to referee Lucilio Batista but was told Gueye had won the ball cleanly. The home side continued to look threatening though and the home crowd were making their presence felt at the Marakana.

McCulloch won Rangers a free-kick in a dangerous position on the left edge of the penalty area and Barry Ferguson's shot was deflected over. Rangers threatened again when Darcheville's power saw him find space on the right, but Ferguson could only fire wide from his cross to the near post.