Smith hails Rangers after 'biggest' win

Updated 10.39 Wed Oct 03 2007
Keywords: SPL, Champions League, Walter Smith, Lyon, Rangers, football, sport

Walter Smith was left to hail his Rangers side after they pulled off their 'biggest' Champions League result to date in Lyon.

Lee McCulloch gave the Glasgow giants the perfect start at the Stade Gerland breaking the deadlock with a 23rd-minute header before Daniel Cousin and DaMarcus Beasley put the game beyond Alain Perrin's men at the start of the second half.

"I think it's probably our biggest (European) result in terms of the number of goals we scored away for home" - Walter Smith

A delighted Smith, whose men have won their opening two Group E matches and are second to Barcelona on goal difference, reflected: "I think it's probably our biggest (European) result in terms of the number of goals we scored away for home.

"I don't think we could have imagined for a minute coming away to a club as strong as Lyon and managing to win 3-0.

"I don't think anyone expected that so I am delighted with what happened. It was an excellent result for us. We had to work extremely hard for it, so everyone is delighted that the hard work got us the result in the end."

The Gers have given themselves a real chance of reaching the knockout stages of European club football's most prestigious competition for the second time in three seasons ahead of the visit of Barcelona to Ibrox on October 23.

Smith, who is refusing to rest on his laurels, added: "As long as we keep going we can only get better.

"We have showed we can compete at this level in two games but we've got to take it to the next level against Barca - it'll be an extremely tough task."

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