Smith calls for final push
28 Nov 2007 - 07:41:18
Rangers manager Walter Smith has urged his players to produce one more European performance in their bid to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League.
The Gers' 3-2 defeat to Stuttgart on Tuesday left them needing to win their final group match against Lyon next month to reach the last 16.
The meeting will be a winner-takes-all Group E showdown at Ibrox and Smith has challenged his players to rise to the occasion.
"We had hoped for a different outcome tonight but we have a big match to look forward to at Ibrox now," he said.
"If we show the endeavour we have shown throughout this campaign, then I will be pleased.
"We are obviously disappointed to lose the game. I felt we lost a bad goal just before half-time and Stuttgart started the second half strongly and got in front.
"But credit to our boys for getting the equaliser. We had to go for the win at the end and we lost another goal. It was disappointing to lose the game overall."
