Sturm Graz 2-0 Rangers

Arthur Numan was sent off with only six minutes of the game remaining for a second bookable offence and he will now automatically miss the next game, at home to Monaco on November 7.

Rangers will now have to take something out of that game to make sure of qualification into the second phase of the group stages.

Advocaat has to send out a patched-up side with many players having been given late fitness tests before making a decision on whether or not to play them.

One man who did feature was Giovanni van Bronckhorst but he had to be substituted late on and was clearly struggling with the groin injury which has kept him out recently.

Rod Wallace made his first start in all of two months but struggled to make an impression and was taken off late on for Billy Dodds.

However, it was Wallace who had Gers´first attempt on target but his speculative 25-yard effort was held comfortably by Sturm Graz ´keeper Josef Schicklgruber.

There was an early scare for the Light Blues when Numan had to be carried off following a clash with Ramiz Mamedov.

Fortunately, though, the Dutchman – who was already carrying a slight knock before the game – came back on although was booked for returning to the field of play before being given permission. Something he would pay for later.

It was all Graz in the second half and five minutes after the re-start Yuran almost doubled his tally but his shot went just wide of debutant Jesper Christansen´s post.

In the 70th minute Tomica Kocijan almost scored when he had Christiansen beaten but he watched his effort go just wide.

As the clock ticked down Rangers threw everyone forward – including Marco Negri who was introduced to the play – but couldn´t find a way through.

Lorenzo Amoruso had numerous free-kick efforts but they all went high and wide and summed up a frustrating evening for Rangers.

Everything now rests on the last day´s games with all four teams in with a chance of qualifying.