Lindsay Herron reports from Bucharest
RANGERS were left heart-broken in Bucharest when they were just two minutes away from a memorable Champions League victory.
Lee McCulloch looked to have sealed a fantastic triumph with a terrific strike 12 minutes from the end.
However, Unirea grabbed an equaliser in the 88th minute when Marius Onofras smashed an unsaveable shot past Allan McGregor from 25 yards.
It was a hammer blow for Walter Smith's side who played so well on a bitterly cold night in the Romanian capital.
They had played with great quality for large spells of the game and would have deserved their win.
But Onofras, who had threatened all night, was given too much space and his strike roared into the top left corner.
It now means that Rangers will need to find four points in their remaining two matches and hope that Urziceni don't get any if they are to have any chance of qualifying.
They were so close and now they are so far and they were not helped by the fact that Stuttgart drew 1-1 with Sevilla in the other game.
It would have been the perfect night for 17-year-old Danny Wilson who made his Champions League debut but he can be proud of his performance.
If Wilson had any nerves he certainly did not show them as he settled into the Champions League arena as if he was a veteran.
He was composed and cool at all times and never panicked. He really could be a sensational find for Walter Smith.
He always tried to find a man instead of just lumping the ball clear and he looked calm beside his mentor Davie Weir.
Rangers had most of the first half and they really should have made Unirea pay by taking at least one of their many chances.
Although, in saying that Allan McGregor did have a couple of vital saves to make as the Romanians threatened on the break.
Kevin Thomson was first to threaten Giedrius Arlauskis in the Urziceni goal with a left foot free kick which the keeper fumbled but no Rangers player could capitalise.
That was in 13 minutes and five minutes later Stevie Naismith forced a save with a good header from Steve Whittaker's cross from the right,
Rangers were patient and purposeful and infinitely better than two weeks ago when they lost so heavily to the Romanians.
Steve Davis enjoyed his more attacking role and he almost set up Kenny Miller at the near post in 26 minutes but the keeper made another good stop.
The ball broke back out to Davis and whipped over a great cross which Naismith met with his head but again Arlauskis saved.
Urziceni made a switch in 28 minutes when Marius Onofras came on for Tiberiu Balan and he made an immediate impact.
He allowed Sorin Frunza more freedom and he tested McGregor with a powerful free kick in 29 minutes.
Then in 32 minutes McGregor made a terrific block on Frunza's deflected shot after Varga had cut the ball back.
Two minutes later Varga missed a great chance when Onofras teed him up and he stubbed a shot wide.
The Romanians were enjoying their best spell of the game but Rangers still had chances.
Miller ran through in 30 minutes and fired off a left foot shot which was saved then two minutes before half time Kyle Lafferty cut inside from the left and tried to find the far corner of the net but his effort was just wide.
The Romanians came out strongly in the early moments of the second half and hemmed Rangers in.
However just on the hour Miller had a sensational chance to fire Rangers in font but could not convert.
It was Davis who set him up with a great pass and Miller seemed certain to score but shot weakly at Arlauskis.
Gradually Rangers got back into their stride with Davis at the centre of all of their good work as they tried to work the opening they wanted.
Finally it came in 78 minutes and Lee McCulloch made it count in style.
He took a pass from Kevin Thomson and from just outside the box he hammered a right foot shot into the left corner.
It was a fantastic moment and the bitterly cold Rangers fans roared with joy.
Unirea almost equalised immediately when Onofras whipped the ball across the face of goal and Wilson headed off the line.
And they broke Rangers' hearts with two minutes remaining when dangerman Onofras smashed a 25-yarder past McGregor.
