Rangers kicked of this year's UEFA Champions League campaign with a valuable 1-1 draw away to VFB Stuttgart.

Rangers had a nightmare of a first half with Cacau running riot, which caused Kevin Thomson all sorts of problems in the first half. Lee McCulloch was standing in for Davie Weir who failed a late fitness test after picking up an injury at the weekend to Motherwell.

McCulloch or 'Jig' as he's called by his team mates isn't a natural central defender and put in a decent shift. In the first half he was often caught in two minds of stepping out and pressuring the attack or standing off and holding ground. Cacau took advantage of his indisition and Stuttgart created chance after chance.

Stuttgart finally took the lead in the first half when Kevin Thomson headed back towards Papac who was immediately on the back foot with two Stuttgart players on him. Papac seemed to lose his footing and gave away possession. Once again Cacau raced in to the box and calmly passed to Stuttgart's new hit man Pavel Pogrebnyak who slotted home on the 18 minute mark.

At this point in the game Rangers were being pegged back so much a goal didn't look likely even as this early stage. Rangers stuck at it and somehow managed to get to half time only 1 goal down.

After half time Rangers looked more composed and kept the ball more as they failed to keep possesion in the first half. Confidence grew and chances started coming the Ibrox side's way. New man Jermone Rothen hit a cross from the right side which ended up hitting Lehmann's inside post. Rangers continued to attack the Germans and on the 77th minute nice play between Rothen and Bougherra cut open Stuttgart. Bougherra played a nice one two with Rothen and raced to smash the ball past Jens Lehmann.

Madjid had done something which would have seemed unthinkable in the first half and Rangers were level. Nacho Novo was being prepped for a substitution and it seemed Walter was going to go for it but the goal meant Novo had to wait. The team however did go for it and Steven Naismith had an excellent chance after a heavy touch gave possession away but his determination won the ball and a shot at Lehmann.

Late on Steven Davis unleashed a shot from the midfield which kissed the post and could have so easily have been the winner.

A moment of magic