Lindsay Herron reports from Ibrox

LITTLE Nacho Novo rescued Rangers with a stunning last minute winner which keeps the Champions League dream alive.

Just as it looked Rangers would have to head to Belgrade in two weeks' time needing to win to stay in the competition, Novo pounced to continue his remarkable influence as a substitute this season.

He was instrumental in the defeat of Zeta at Ibrox in the last round and he scored at Inverness on day one of the SPL season having come off the bench.

The Spanish sensation did it again tonight when he latched onto Lee McCulloch's flick-on to snatch a fantastic win in the final seconds.

Walter Smith knew it was going to be a testing night for his players such are the huge stakes at this stage and the sheer endeavour of Red Star made life difficult in the early moments.

The Serbs chased every ball and then charged back to form a wall of red and white shirts any time they lost possession and Rangers came forward.

It was hard work for the Ibrox men, who tried to utilise the pace and power of Jean-Claude Darcheville but all too often he lacked support and was crowded out by the Red Star defence.

Chances were few and far between in the first half. Indeed Rangers did not have an effort on target other than a strike from Darcheville after he had been flagged for offside.

The Serbian champions were organised, strong and very efficient at closing down space.

It seemed that set pieces were going to be very important, but Rangers did not make use of the four or five freekicks they got in decent areas.

The Light Blues tried to use the aerial power of Lee McCulloch to set things up but all too often his flick-ons were mopped up by the well-organised Red Star defence.

Rangers were brighter in the early moments of the second half, sensing if they could get one chance they could really turn the tie in their favour.

Finally, a chance was eked out in 55 minutes when Thomson swung a decent cross from the left to the back post where McCulloch met it but the ball sailed straight into the arms of keeper Ivan Randelovic.

Rangers enjoyed a bit more pressure after this but they could not find any other real openings and Smith introduced Nacho Novo and Daniel Cousin for Beasley and Darcheville in 65 minutes.

Still Red Star snapped and snarled at Rangers to stop them getting anything but Cousin suddenly found a bit of space in 75 minutes.

McCulloch found him 25 yards out and the former Lens man skipped away from his marker to hammer a right foot shot which flew just over the top.

It was some encouragement in what had been a difficult night and three minutes later Novo had the Red Star defence in trouble when he burst from halfway but his final ball was poor and the chance was lost.

Then in 80 minutes the Spaniard won a corner on the right and took the kick himself finding Ferguson but the skipper's header went into the ground and was saved easily by Randelovic.

Rangers kept pushing, hoping that something would come their way and the fans were on their feet when Ferguson burst down the left channel but his shot hit the side netting,

However, in an incredible end to the game Rangers got the win they wanted with the last-minute strike from Novo which means so much to Walter Smith and his team.

McCulloch was the man who set it up with a great flick on to divert the ball into the path of the little Spaniard who tucked it away perfectly.

The dream is very much alive.