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By STEPHEN MCGOWAN
Nai bother: Steven Naismith celebrates his strike
Walter Smith warned that Rangers still have a mountain to climb despite streaking to joint top of their Champions League group.
The Ibrox manager's muchcriticised 5-4-1 formation came up trumps once more as his side followed a goalless draw with Manchester United by beating Turkish side Bursaspor 1-0.
Steven Naismith's 18th-minute goal silenced the critics and put Rangers alongside the Old Trafford giants, 1-0 winners in Valencia last night, at the top of Group C.
The win also ended a run of 13 Champions League games without victory home or away and teed up a mouthwatering double header with the Spanish giants in the race for qualification.
Anxious to play down any premature talk of reaching the knockout stage, despite taking four points from two games, Smith said: 'You were quick to point out our previous Champions League record - everybody was - then suddenly we get a result and you say "great, you are at the top".
'We know the difficulties. The next three games are against the two favourites in the group, Manchester United and Valencia.
Nice touch: Steven Naismith nips in to score for Rangers
'We are just happy to win and gain a bit more confidence.
'From our point of view, our team worked very hard and we haven't given up any opportunities in our games so far.
'But we know we have to stay on top of all the aspects of the game if we are going to do anything in the Champions League.'
Rangers fans left Ibrox after a backs-to-the-wall second half increasingly optimistic over their side's chances, yet Smith would not be swayed.
Slide show: Rangers' Steven Whittaker tackles Omer Erdogan of Buraspor
'The group will always be a problem to us. You can't see our Champions League record and say suddenly it has changed; it has not,' said Smith. 'Everyone, players and management, accept we have a hard struggle ahead but we look forward to it.'
Smith risked a backlash when he opted to name the same team who defended for their lives at Old Trafford two weeks ago.
And he argued: 'I said before the game, we had to find a better balance in terms of attacking. We went some way towards it and, in the period of the game when we had the upper hand and opportunities, we showed the system is one where we can operate in an attacking sense, as well as a defensive one.'
Close call: Bursaspor's Ozan Ipek, right, has an effort on goal
source :dailymail
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[starttext]
By STEPHEN MCGOWAN
Nai bother: Steven Naismith celebrates his strikeWalter Smith warned that Rangers still have a mountain to climb despite streaking to joint top of their Champions League group.
The Ibrox manager's muchcriticised 5-4-1 formation came up trumps once more as his side followed a goalless draw with Manchester United by beating Turkish side Bursaspor 1-0.
Steven Naismith's 18th-minute goal silenced the critics and put Rangers alongside the Old Trafford giants, 1-0 winners in Valencia last night, at the top of Group C.
The win also ended a run of 13 Champions League games without victory home or away and teed up a mouthwatering double header with the Spanish giants in the race for qualification.
Anxious to play down any premature talk of reaching the knockout stage, despite taking four points from two games, Smith said: 'You were quick to point out our previous Champions League record - everybody was - then suddenly we get a result and you say "great, you are at the top".
'We know the difficulties. The next three games are against the two favourites in the group, Manchester United and Valencia.
Nice touch: Steven Naismith nips in to score for Rangers'We are just happy to win and gain a bit more confidence.
'From our point of view, our team worked very hard and we haven't given up any opportunities in our games so far.
'But we know we have to stay on top of all the aspects of the game if we are going to do anything in the Champions League.'
Rangers fans left Ibrox after a backs-to-the-wall second half increasingly optimistic over their side's chances, yet Smith would not be swayed.
Slide show: Rangers' Steven Whittaker tackles Omer Erdogan of Buraspor'The group will always be a problem to us. You can't see our Champions League record and say suddenly it has changed; it has not,' said Smith. 'Everyone, players and management, accept we have a hard struggle ahead but we look forward to it.'
Smith risked a backlash when he opted to name the same team who defended for their lives at Old Trafford two weeks ago.
And he argued: 'I said before the game, we had to find a better balance in terms of attacking. We went some way towards it and, in the period of the game when we had the upper hand and opportunities, we showed the system is one where we can operate in an attacking sense, as well as a defensive one.'
Close call: Bursaspor's Ozan Ipek, right, has an effort on goal
source :dailymail
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