Unirea destroy Rangers Champions League hopes

Rangers Champions League hopes are all but over after two own goals and a missed penalty consigned them to a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Romanian minnows Unirea Urziceni at Ibrox.

The result, identical to the home defeat they suffered at the hands of Sevilla in their last game, leaves the Scottish champions firmly rooted to the bottom of Group G.

Things could have been so different for Walter Smith’s men who had a dream start when Pedro Mendes’ shot deflected off Ricardo Gomes to give Rangers the lead after 80 seconds.

Rangers dominated possession but Unirea levelled with their first shot of the game when Marius Bilasco tapped in after 32 minutes before Steven Davis missed a penalty for the home side.

But a second-half collapse saw Dan Petrescu’s side stroll to victory with own goals from substitute Kyle Lafferty and Lee McCulloch before a Pablo Brandan free-kick finished the scoring.

Rangers were dealt a blow before kick-off when Madjid Bougherrra was ruled out with a knee injury leaving McCulloch to partner David Weir in the centre of defence.

Smith had said he wanted a strong start and his side duly delivered when a deflected Mendes strike gave Rangers the lead within 80 seconds.

Jerome Rothen floated a corner to the edge of the penalty box where Mendes took a touch before firing in a shot which took a wicked deflection off Gomes and looped over the head of stand-in keeper Daniel Tudor.

Portuguese playmaker Mendes was again involved in the 11th minute when his free-kick from the left was headed just over the bar by Kenny Miller.

Rangers were dominating proceedings and Petrescu was quick to make a tactical change with Marius Onofras replacing Epaminonda Nicu.

Almost immediately a half-cleared corner presented Unirea with a chance when the ball fell to Tiberiu Balan 10 yards out but he sliced his volley wide.

Miller and Sasa Papac combined well on the left to allow the Bosnian to send a low cross into the box which Steven Naismith could only get the slightest of touches on as it trundled wide.

Unirea levelled things in the 33rd minute. A quickly taken free-kick was played to Brandan who skipped past Steven Whittaker to send a low ball across the face of goal for Bilasco to tap in.

Rangers were handed the chance to regain the lead five minutes later when they were awarded a penalty after David Weir’s header from a Rothen cross hit the hand of Bruno Fernandes.

Davis stepped up but the Northern Irishman’s soft effort low to the left was turned out for a corner by Tudor.

Things got worse for Rangers at the start of the second-half when Unirea took the lead in the 48th minute.

Fernandes’ back-heel from Bilasco’s corner glanced off substitute Lafferty to hit the post and go in with Allan McGregor helpless.

The Rangers defence were posted missing a minute later when Balan was presented with a chance but they were relieved when he sent his shot wide.

However the home side’s problems mounted in the 59th minute when Balan’s curling free-kick from the left was headed past his own keeper by McCulloch for yet another own goal.

Rangers’ misery was compounded just six minutes later when Rothen conceded a free-kick 30 yards out.

Iulian Apostol rolled it into the path of Argentine Brandan, who thumped a low, powerful drive past McGregor into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Smith brought Nacho Novo on as Rangers chased the impossible but there was to be no miracle comeback with Unirea threatening to add to their lead.