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UEFA Cup betting: No reason why gritty Rangers can't progress

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John Girvan, half of the "Total Goals Guys" betting duo, tells us why Rangers could spring a surprise in Lisbon in a tight, low-scoring affair

Rangers travel to Portugal for this Thursday's UEFA Cup Quarter Final 2nd leg with Sporting Lisbon. A goal has yet to be scored in this tie and in many respects its advantage Sporting who are [1.73] in the To Qualify market as opposed to Rangers who are out at [2.23]. The Match Odds market has Sporting as odds-on favourites at [1.9] with Rangers being matched at [4.5] and the draw trading at [3.4].

Domestically, Rangers dropped two points at the weekend in a rare 3-3 draw with Dundee United at Tannadice. It was the first time they had done so since drawing at Aberdeen in December but it is difficult to build a case for Thursday based on this match. Manager Walter Smith not only rested Steven Davis, Kirk Broadfoot and Jean-Claude Darcheville but he opted for a one-off 4-4-2 formation with Kris Boyd and Nacho Novo up front. With Daniel Cousin back in the frame, both are unlikely to start in Lisbon this week and Sunday's line-up also featured David Weir who is suspended for the tie in Portugal.

The complexion of Sunday['s match in Dundee was also altered by arch rivals Celtic's demise on Saturday however. The 1-0 home defeat by Motherwell allowed Rangers the luxury to rest some tired legs and have one eye on Thursday as some of the domestic pressure was lifted from them somewhat. It may yet prove to be crucial in landing that vital away goal.

Let's get one thing out of the way - the 1st leg at Ibrox last week wasn't pretty to watch. Sporting offered very little going forward and Rangers, in their tried and tested 4-5-1, lacked the cutting edge to carve much in the way of clear cut openings. Many amongst the Rangers support are highly critical of the manager's tactics, especially in a home European tie and in summary last week's fixture had a stench of two sides who were happy to just not concede. On paper however, the goalless draw was the best any of the home sides could muster from last Thursday's opening legs.

There are some big decisions for Walter Smith to make ahead of this tie. Everyone knows he will revert to his favoured 4-5-1 but the big question is who will spearhead the attack? Darcheville, despite never playing out a full 90 minutes in light blue this term, probably edges it in terms of match sharpness, but it is believed Smith regards Cousin as the classier of the two. He may well opt to begin with the chunky Frenchman to begin with and go with Gabon international, Cousin, later in the game.

The defence is also an issue for the Rangers management team this week. Kirk Broadfoot has done well recently in holding down a regular start in the left back slot but his last two games against Celtic and Sporting have underlined what everyone knew all along - the hearty centre back lacks pace and his lack of experience as a full back is currently being exposed. Will the management team call in Steven Whittaker?

There is a side issue here as Rangers player of the year Carlos Cuellar is being treated for a virus and may struggle to prove his fitness in time. If he recovers then one would presume that Dailly will partner him in central defence as a direct replacement for Weir but should the Spanish talisman fail to make it, there could be a surprise or two. A late decision might have to be made on Cuellar but he has been is such good form for Rangers this term that his absence swings things massively in Sporting's favour. So it might be best to hold off until the all important team line-ups are announced.

Sporting sit fourth in the Portuguese Liga which doesn't read well but when you break it down, it's their away form that has let them down this season. Three wins and four defeats isn't going to do you any favours in terms of a league title push but they do boast an undefeated home record however, having won 9 and drawn 3 of their 12 home ties this season. In the Champions League they experienced all three outcomes, picking up 4 points and ironically this mirrors perfectly with Rangers' Champions League Record.

All things considered under 2.5 goals stands out albeit at a skinny [1.56] whilst both the 0-0 and 1-1 correct scores are also appealing at [7.0] and [6.4] respectively.

There really isn't much between these sides and that fine line between success and failure could be even thinner than usual this Thursday.