RANGERS dropped their first three points of the Champions League campaign following a dismal defeat by Galatasaray.
Things looked good for the Teddy Bears after a blank first half but they found themselves three down after the Turks hit them three times in relatively quick succession.
Akin Bulent fired home a volley on 51 minutes after a cross from Umit Davala. Just six minutes later Hakan Unsal spotted Stefan Klos struggling off his line before hitting the net with a sensational 25 yard effort.
Ex-Rangers target Mario Jardel struck on 70 minutes with a fizzing volley from the edge of the box, his first attempt of the match.
Dick Advocaat rang the changes replacing Allan Johnston and Michael Mols with Andrei Kanchelskis and Billy Dodds. On 71 minutes it paid off when Kanchelskis tormented the Turkish defence before getting in the box to head home a cross from the left.
Inspirational midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst could have won the game for the visitors with a bit more luck in the dying minutes.
He firstly watched a fierce shot deflect off the post on 90 minutes, before sending an unstoppable free-kick over the wall and into the roof of Taffarel’s goal,well into injury-time.
It was too late for the Ibrox side to salvage a point from the match as referee Pierluigi Collina ended the match from the restart.
The fanatical Turks celebrated inside the Ali Sami Yen stadium in Istanbul, but will not be looking forward to seeing their side in Glasgow.
Advocaat’s team picked major cracks in the Turkish defence in the second half and are more than capable of beating them at Ibrox. They maanaged long spells of posession in the first 45 and will be disapointed to have conceded.
Lorenzo Amoruso wil miss the match in Glasgow through suspension after picking up a booking on 62 minutes. The Italian defender had a lucky escape just before the interval when he sliced a clearnace towards his own goal, forcing Klos into a magnificent stop to save his blushes.
Despite this points Rangers are equal with the Turks on six points, but ahead on goal difference with Monaco beating Sturm Graz five nothing with the help of a hat-trick from Marco Simone.