Rangers seek three in a row

RANGERS v SPORTINGEuropa League, ThursdayESPN, 8:05pm

This will be the third time Rangers have met Sporting in Europe and on the two previous occasions the Ibrox men have gone on to reach the final.

En route to their 1971-72 Cup-Winners' Cup triumph, Rangers knocked out Sporting on away goals but not before an almighty scare. Rangers won the home leg 3-2 but Sporting won the return by the same score, sending the game into extra time. Willie Henderson netted before Sporting scored again to win 4-3 for a 6-6 aggregate score. Dutch referee Laurens van Raavens failed to realise that Rangers had won on away goals and ordered penalties. Sporting won the shoot-out and goalkeeper Vitor Damas was carried off the pitch on his team-mates' shoulders before the ref realised his error and awarded the tie to Rangers.

Three years ago the sides met in the UEFA Cup last eight. Rangers won 2-0 in Lisbon after a goalless draw at Ibrox but lost in the final to Zenit.