RANGERS need to win in France in two weeks’ times after being held to goal-less draw by PSG on a night of frustration if they are to achieve their ambition of progressing in Europe beyond Christmas for the first time in nine years.
Ricksen had already been excluded for the return leg in the French capital as his booking in 61 minutes was his third in Europe this season, and the red card just compounded his disappointment and frustration.
Misses from Canigia, de Boer and Reyna ultimately proved costly and now Rangers must go to the Parc des Princes and do what they have failed to do in each of the last three seasons in Kaiserslautern, Dortmund and Parma and make it into the fourth round of the UEFA Cup.
Clearly it is going to be a major task. Manager Dick Advocaat said before the game that he would have settled for 0-0 as any Rangers goal will be worth two in the event of a draw but he knows his side will have to be more clinical than they were tonight.
Rangers were perhaps surprised by the aggressive nature of PSG’s play as the French side chased for every ball and pressed Rangers with great vigour not giving the Ibrox men a moment to impose their passing game on the Frenchmen.
Paris came flying out of the traps and bossed the midfield at times with their strength and quick inter-passing. They did not, however, create one real chance in the first half as the only thing Stefan Klos had to do was cut out a cross from Nigerian Bartholomew Ogbeeche.
Rangers, on the other hand, despite the lack of space, created three excellent chances of their own but frustratingly for the sell-out crowd they failed to take any of them.
Claudio Caniggia might have scored after just five minutes which would have been the blistering start they wanted by the PSG defence somehow kept him out,
It was Tore Andre Flo, who worked so hard all night, who created the opportunity when he shrugged off his marker and burst into the box. Lionel Letizi made a brave save at his feet but the ball broke to Caniggia.
The veteran striker seemed certain to score and he struck his shot well enough but Lionel Potillon somehow managed to block the ball away for a corner.
A minute later Flo got on the end of Lorenzo Amoruso’s cross from the right but he could not get enough power on his header and Letizi was able to save quite comfortably.
Brazilian star Ronaldinho proved a handful at times, but his petulance earned him a booking in 12 minutes when he refused to retreat 10 yards at a freekick.
However, there was more frustration for Rangers in 17 minutes when an even better chance was spurned, ironically by the normally so efficient Ronald de Boer, who was back in the side in place of the ineligible Shota Arveladze.
It was a super move. Caniggia played an excellent one-two with Flo and then whipped a low cross perfectly into the path of de Boer but from inside the six yard box he missed the target with the goal gaping.
Perhaps boosted by the let-off, PSG enjoyed some good possession and also defended well, frustrating Rangers but the Ibrox men gradually regained the upper hand and created another great opportunity in 36 minutes but again they could not take it.
Again it was great play from Flo as he skipped away from his marker and clipped a pass forward for de Boer. The Dutchman fooled the French defence with a delightful back heel to play in Reyna but the American star pushed a right foot shot wide of the left hand post.
There was little change to the ferocious tempo in the early moments of the second half and the Ibrox fans were on their feet again in 55 minutes when Caniggia carved out another opening in 55 minutes.
The Argentinian star worked some magic on the right side and then squared the ball for Reyna some 22 yards out but again the US captain missed the target, pulling a left foot shot well wide.
De Boer played in Caniggia down the right side just minutes later but he lost his footing just as the ball came to him and another chance was gone.
By this time Advocaat had changed his side bringing on Peter Lovenkrands for Michael Ball, knowing that he really needed to try to take a lead to Paris. And the young Dane came close with a left foot shot in 60 minutes but he never really hurt PSG with his pace the way the manager wanted.
Still the French side kept up their aggressive approach and yellow cards were handed out to Llacer and Ogbeeche. Ricksen was also cautioned in 61 minutes for a foul on Gabriel Heinze and that yellow card ruled him out of the second leg.
However, Ricksen made quite sure of a suspension when he was shown a second yellow in 79 minutes for pushing the same player as the fought for the ball on the touchline. Heinze looked equally culpable but Ricksen was needlessly reckless.
It meant that Advocaat had to re-jig again with Maurice Ross coming on for de Boer because it now became essential that Rangers did not lose a goal.
Rangers kept pushing and probing, searching for the advantage they craved but it just did not happen for them and judging by the combative nature of the French side the return leg in Paris is going to be mighty tough.
RANGERS: Klos; Amoruson, Konterman, Ball (Lovenkrands 55); Ricksen, Reyna, Ferguson, Numan; Caniggia (Latapy 70), Flo, de Boer (Ross 85). Subs not used – Christiansen, Mols, Dodds, Wilson.
Sent off: Ricksen (79).
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN: Letizi; Christobal (Llacer 45), Pochettino, Heinze, Potillon; Arteta, Dehu, Leal, Ronaldinho; Leroy (Cisse 66), Ogbeeche (Alex 78). Subs not used – Alonzo, El Karkouri, Aloisio, Domi.
Bookings: Ronaldinho (12), Llacer (54), Ogbeeche (58), Leal (78)Ref: Karl-Erik Nilsson (Sweden).Att: 49,223
Man of the match: Lorenzo AmorusoMoment of the match: De Boer’s back heel to set up Reyna.