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Schalke overcome Rangers

Image: Krstajic: Goalscorer

Rangers' pre-season tour of Germany ended in a 1-0 defeat as they succumbed to Bundesliga side Schalke.

Visitors' Germany tour concludes with loss

Rangers' pre-season tour of Germany ended in a 1-0 defeat as they succumbed to Bundesliga side Schalke. The game was a close affair, with Walter Smith's men utilising the same tactics that saw them through to the Uefa Cup final in May, defending deep and reducing their opponents to long-range efforts. However, the Rangers defence failed to prevent Mladen Krstajic from stealing in to head home Jefferson Farfan's cross after 30 minutes, and they rarely looked capable of levelling despite Kenny Miller going close with a deflected effort. Shalke, who reached the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals last season, pressed for a second goal, with defender Kirk Broadfoot denying the hosts on several occasions and Neil Alexander palming away Orlando Engelaar's 25-yard effort. The visitors could have grabbed an equaliser with five minutes remaining, Lithuania international Andrius Velicka connecting with Jean-Claude Darcheville's cross, but his header rebounded off the post.

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