LISBON, April 10, 2008 (AFP) - Rangers stunned Sporting Lisbon with a 2-0 victory to book their place in the UEFA Cup semi final here on Thursday.

French striker Jean-Claude Darcheville had put the Scottish side ahead against the run of play in the 60th minute and in injury time substitute Steven Whittaker scored a brilliant second to clinch the historic victory.

Rangers have never reached this stage in the competition but they will have to play the first leg against Fiorentina without captain Barry Ferguson, who received his second yellow of the competition after kicking the ball away near the end.

And his fellow midfielder Kevin Thomson is also suspended having also picked up another caution for a late challenge.

After last week's quarter-final first leg in Glasgow had finished goalless, the Portuguese side were favourites to make the last four of the competition.

And in the 18th minute only the woodwork denied Sporting the lead.

Argentinian midfielder Leandro Romagnoli floated a free-kick into the box and Brazilian striker Liedson raced in front of Rangers defender Christian Dailly to send a header beyond goalkeeper Allan McGregor only to see the ball bounce back off the post.

There were few other opportunities at either end until the 42nd minute.

Sporting captain Joao Moutinho drove in on goal and unleashed a low right-foot shot from 20-yards, which skimmed across the surface and just past the post.

And on the stroke of half time Simon Vukcevic again threatened the Rangers goal when he cut inside and fired a left-foot shot from 18-yards that sailed narrowly wide.

At the start of the second half Sporting Lisbon piled the pressure on the visitor's, who were forced into some desperate defending to keep their hosts out.

Vukcevic almost gave them the lead in the 53rd minute with a glancing header from 12-yards which beat McGregor but dropped inches past the goal.

Rangers were rarely able to advance past the halfway line at this stage but in the 60th minute they stunned the hosts by taking the lead against the run of play.

Full-back Kirk Broadfoot launched a long ball out of defence which lone striker Darcheville headed into the path of supporting midfielder Steven Davis, who was racing up the right-wing.

The Northern Ireland midfielder returned the ball back across the face of goal and Darcheville, who had continued his run, coolly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way by side-footing home with his left-foot from six-yards.

Sporting Lisbon now needed to score twice to stay in the competition due to Rangers' away goal.

Yannick Djalo should have pulled one back in the 76th minute, when Romagnoli's pass inside found him unmarked 12-yards from goals, but the substitute wastefully hammered the ball well over with a first-time effort.

The home side again came close in the 80th minute when Antonio Leonel Tonel's header left McGregor rooted to the spot but the ball bounced agonisingly wide.

However, Gabon international Daniel Cousin almost doubled Rangers' advantage in the 88th minute when Davis cross put him on goal but Sporting goalkeeper Sui Patricio made a brave save at his feet.

But in injury time Whittaker, who had replaced Lee McCulloch in the 77th minute, confirmed Rangers place in the last four of the competition with a sensational goal.

The former Hibs defender won a tackle in the centre-circle and, with the Sporting defenders continually backing off, carried the ball all the way into the 18-yard box when he dispatched a right-foot shot into the corner of the net.