Football: Stylish Rangers warm up for Haka

RANGERS CONTINUED their build-up for the new season with a 3-1 victory last night over Sunderland, newly promoted to the Premiership, in a testimonial match for Ian Ferguson.

Dick Advocaat's side, who learned last night that they will start their Champions' League campaign against Finland's Haka, produced a stylish display. Rangers won with goals from Barry Ferguson and Giovanni van Bronckhorst and an own goal from Steve Bould. Kevin Phillips replied.

Advocaat was happy with Rangers. He said: "It was a good game from my point of view with some good passing. Some players, however, need to find a bit more sharpness."

Craig Brown is to take a tough line to ensure Scotland's Euro 2000 ambitions are not wrecked by late withdrawals. The Scotland manager has seen a number of squads weakened by call-offs, resulting in an embarrassing 1-1 draw against the Faroe Islands last month.With qualification for next year's European Championship hinging on matches against Bosnia and Estonia over the coming months, Brown will enforce the five-day rule. Any player who withdraws from a squad will be barred from club games for five days after the international.

Scotland, who have four Euro 2000 qualifiers left, have dropped four places and out of the world's top 30 on the latest list issued by Fifa, world football's governing body. The Scots are now 31st, with England at 14th, Northern Ireland 70th and Wales still 84th.