Andrew Dickson reports from Ibrox

RANGERS are just 90 minutes from reaching the last eight of a European competition for the first time in 15 years after a captivating 2-0 win over Werder Bremen at Ibrox.

Goals from Daniel Cousin and Steven Davis either side of half-time leave Walter Smith's men in a wonderful position after the first leg of their last-16 tie with the Germans.

Semi-finalists in this competition themselves last season, Bremen travelled to Scotland as many people's favourites to progress to the quarter-finals.

But their hopes of doing that hang by a thread after one of the greatest continental performances by the Light Blues in recent years.

Daniel Cousin's rocket seconds before the interval gave Gers a narrow lead - but only thanks to a monumental blunder by away goalkeeper Tim Wiese.

And although he was fault again when Steven Davis rammed in a second after the break, there was no doubting Gers thoroughly deserved to win.

On the night Barry Ferguson became the Scot with the most European appearances under his belt, his side was outstanding at times.

Before the match, Rangers were lifted by news that none of Bremen's three pre-match injury doubts had been named in their starting line-up.

Strikers Ivan Klasnic and Boubacar Sanogo were both ruled out completely while Hugo Almeida was only listed among the substitutes.

The hosts made a trio of changes to the team which beat Aberdeen 3-1 on Saturday, with Steven Whittaker, Chris Burke and Kris Boyd all dropping to the bench.

Sasa Papac, Brahim Hemdani and Cousin started in their places as Smith employed a 4-5-1 formation.

With Hemdani, Davis and Christian Dailly all in the first XI, that allowed Ferguson to play right behind lone striker Cousin initially.

Barely a minute in, those two players combined to set up Adam and his sweet half-volley from 20 yards brought out a wonderful save from Wiese.

Chances were at a premium early on but it didn't take long for Adam to have another go at goal.

Having spotted Wiese off his line, the midfielder tried an ambitious shot from just inside the Werder half but his effort was always going over the bar.

As the match progressed, Rangers enjoyed more possession but were being frustrated by many of the decisions Luxembourg referee Alain Hamer was making.

Worse still was that the Germans then started creating opportunities, with Allan McGregor saving well from Markus Rosenberg and Petri Pasanen driving just over.

Back came Gers and after Davis was fouled 25 yards out, Adam forced Wiese into action again as he clawed the resulting free kick away from inside his near post.

Adam was proving to be home side's main threat and when Cousin was pulled down outside the area, it was he who curled half a yard too high from distance.

But after Jurica Vranjes had a header stopped by McGregor, Rangers conjured a goal from nothing to give themselves an interval lead seconds.

Cousin appeared to pose little danger to the visitors when he collected the ball 35 yards from goal.

But he unleashed a vicious shot which swerved in the air and having caught Wiese off guard, he proceeded to fist the ball up into the air and over the line.

Ibrox erupted and it was a lead Smith's men probably deserved for being more enterprising in the first half.

At worst, their objective was to hang on to their advantage after the restart. At best, it was to add to it.

Just two minutes into the second period, after Ferguson had lobbed over the bar, they did the latter.

Cousin was involved again and his firmly-struck drive from the edge of the area had Wiese scrambling across his goal.

But when he should perhaps have held the Gabon player's effort, he spilled it instead and Davis slid in to score his first goal from the club from five yards.

Bremen tried to respond but long-distance free kicks from Diego and Naldo were no trouble for McGregor to deal with.

In fact, Rangers nearly made it three when Ferguson found the incoming Davis charging into the area and he headed just over.

Aaron Hunt pulled a shot wide for Werder as they started to get more of the ball but the tireless efforts of Davis were virtually enough on their own to limit their impact.

Ferguson tried his luck on his big night and saw a great attempt deflected wide for a corner then had Wiese scuttling across his line seconds later.

But by now the match was swinging from end to end and McGregor gratefully gathered Daniel Jensen's dipping hit at the second attempt.

Thomas Schaaf's men were beginning to push hard for the away goal they wanted and it made for a nervy closing period.

But it could and really should have finished 3-0, with substitute Lee McCulloch somehow failing to net four minutes from the end.

Ferguson played him in on Wiese and after lobbing him, he simply had to tap in on the line but Naldo got back to clear.

Fans around the ground screamed for a penalty and although it never came, Rangers will take a healthy lead to Germany for next Thursday's second leg.

RANGERS: McGregor; Broadfoot, Weir, Cuellar, Papac; Davis, Dailly, Ferguson, Hemdani, Adam; Cousin (McCulloch 74).

Subs not used: Alexander, Thomson, Boyd, Novo, Burke, Whittaker.

WERDER BREMEN: Wiese; Clemens, Mertesacker,  Naldo, Pasanen (Boenisch 63); Vranjes (Almeida 59), Baumann, Jensen; Diego, Rosenberg, Hunt.

Subs not used: Vander, Boenisch, Ozil, Owomoyela, Borowski, Harnik.

Referee: Alain Hamer (Luxembourg).