LORENZO AMORUSO’S expertly taken penalty was just enough to ensure Rangers headed out of Dundee with three points after a dour encounter with United.
The former captain came to Alex McLeish’s rescue after 66 minutes by slamming the ball past Paul Gallcher with, it has to be said, considerable ease.
Craig Easton was the home side’s guilty man. It was he who tripped Russell Latapy as United looked like they may just cause an upset by holding the SPL’s second-placed team.
A niggly 90 minutes it was at Tannadice and Rangers will be grateful simply to get a win, especially without the services of Arveladze, Ferguson, Konterman, De Boer and Caniggia.
The result may be termed a lucky one but in all honesty the home side didn’t do enough to deserve anything else other than to be the losers.
Rangers’ first threat came when Fernando Ricksen crossed onto the head of Mols but the eager Dutchman’s header was held by Gallacher as Peter Lovenkrands and Ricksen were beginning to torment United left-back Jamie Fullarton even this early on.
A brilliant long-range pass by Amoruso after nine minutes found Lovenkrands in behind Fullarton and the Dane’s shot from 22 yards was reached only by the fingertips by the United keeper.
Rangers’ strength, with Mols in the centre of the attack, was definitely out wide with the pacy young Dane on one side and midweek sinner Neil McCann on the other.
The trouble Lovenkrands was causing was exemplified after quarter of an hour when a scything tackle by Fullarton saw him become the first player to enter the referee’s notebook.
United as a team had taken quite a physical approach to the game and had given numerous free-kicks away for their overzealous play in midfield.
Steven Thompson hasn’t been a favourite opponents of Lorenzo Amoruso’s in the past, particularly after the youngster’s double at Ibrox in December, and the way he was using his body to rough up the Italian was troublesome.
Amoruso was seldom looking comfortable when under pressure from the tall home striker as both became engulfed in an intriguing dual.
Amoruso fired another pass from just inside his own half and as Fullarton misjudged Lovenkrands cut inside but shot low and straight at Gallacher.
Two minutes later, a thunderous free-kick from the Italian was expertly tipped over by the home goalie after Latapy had been fouled on the edge of the penalty area by Griffin. The game at this point was beginning to intensify.
United were struggling to make any inwards at the Rangers goal and appeared to get caught up in stopping Rangers from playing by knocking them off the ball in midfield.
There was dejection and frustration all round in the visiting camp when Mols limped off injured in the 38th minute. The Dutch striker appeared to twist his knee and was replaced by Tore Andre Flo.
The first half seemed to die of death after that and Rangers went up the Tannadice tunnel knowing they had to get in behind their opponents more in the second half.
There was a bit more hunger and desire from the Ibrox side as the second period got underway. Tenacious play by Stephen Hughes on the edge of the box created an opening for McCann in the 51st minute and his powerful shot was spilled by Gallacher only for Griffin to head clear.
United had a great chance four minutes later as a long ball from their midfield flew over Amoruso’s head and was controlled by ex-Ibrox star Charlie Miller on the run.
He neared the edge of the penalty box and rounded Vidmar. However, as he swung his right leg back to shoot, Amoruso, outstanding throughout, nicked the ball off his foot to rescue Rangers.
Thompson’s threat to the away side had resumed and Alex McLeish must be at least partly concerned at his defence’s inability to handle the Scotland hopeful, who would have been doubly eager to impress with Berti Vogts in attendance.
Rangers weren’t having any more success in their search for the opener than they had done in the first half. There were fleeting moments of neat and swift passing upon their approach to United’s 18-yard line but too often the forwards were crowded out.
It was at that point, after 66 minutes, that Craig Easton decided to intervene by chopping Russell Latapy down just inside the box and Amoruso stepped up to fire the ball past Gallacher from the spot after a nerve-wracking two-step run up.
That livened up the proceedings and merely added to a number of crucial moments Amoruso has handled masterfully throughout the season.
The uncompromising nature in which the home players were going in for tackles was still unrelenting and substitute David McCracken was next into the book for dealing with the still troublesome Lovenkrands in an illegal manner.
United knew attack was their only option now and that brought Miller and Thompson into play a little more – but they still had to get past Amoruso.
Relief for Alex Smith’s side came when Lovenkrands jogged off with 14 minutes to go and was replaced by Andrei Kanchelskis as the chief source of United’s anguish left the field.
United continued to take the game to Rangers as they tried for an equaliser but, although they appeared shaky at times, McLeish’s defence did enough to merit a clean sheet for goalkeeper Stefan Klos.
However, the potency in attack is something for the manager to consider as he weighs up which players to bring to the club in the summer.
Dundee Utd (4-4-2) – Gallacher; McCunnie, Griffin (c), Lauchlan, Fullarton (McCracken 43); Winters (Carson 71), Easton, Hannah, Venetis (86); Thompson, Miller. Unused subs – Jarvie (Gk), Duff.
Rangers (4-3-3) – Klos; Ross, Amoruso, Vidmar, Numan (c); Ricksen, Latapy (Dodds 71), Hughes; Lovenkrands (Kanchelskis 76), Mols (Flo 38), McCann. Unused subs – McGregor (Gk), Wilson.
Referee: Willie Young.
Bookings: Dundee Utd – Fullarton (14), Easton (56), McCracken (70), McCunnie (85)
Attendance: 9383.
Man of the Match: Lorenzo Amoruso.
Moment of the match: Penalty by the Italian was the only highlight for Rangers.