Rangers' hopes of reaching the UEFA Cup quarter-finals were kept alive by a penalty equaliser from captain Barry Ferguson 10 minutes from time.

Ferguson is no regular spot-kick taker but with Tore Andre Flo off the pitch he shouldered the responsibility that comes with the armband and sent goalkeeper Edwin Zoetebier the wrong way after Peter Lovenkrands had been brought down by an outpaced Glenn Loovens.

The goal had certainly been needed as Rangers had been in danger of having to go to Rotterdam for next week's second leg decider a goal down.

That had come from Japan international Shinji Ono, whose long-range shot was helped past goalkeeper Stefan Klos thanks to a hefty deflection off Bert Konterman, the former Feyenoord favourite.

But Rangers' fortunes were revived by Ferguson, who became the first Ibrox player to find the net in this competition since the first day of November.

Two goalless draws with Paris St Germain and a penalty shoot-out win followed that triumph in Moscow against Dynamo - but Alex McLeish knows his team must score again in Rotterdam next week or be eliminated.

And he could not have failed to have deduced from tonight's showing that goals for his side might prove hard to come by as Rangers were limited to only a handful of half chances and long-range pot-shots.

This was the first time Rangers had been in European action after Christmas since 1993 and a quarter-final tie with either Leeds or PSV Eindhoven awaited the victors.

It was also the return of former Celtic striker Pierre van Hooijdonk to Glasgow - and he was unsurprisingly booed by the home fans.

A chance came his way before the 20-minute mark however but he could only direct it over the bar.

It was not until well into the second half that the striker, who also had a spell in England with Nottingham Forest, threatened again - with a trademark free-kick forcing Klos into a palm round a post.

Rangers tolied to create openings themselves and relied on the teenage rookie Stephen Hughes to do most of the fetching and carrying in midfield, a task he performed admirably.

Tore Andre Flo's status as multi-million pound enigma remains unchanged and he headed over his side's best chance, an inswinging Peter Lovenkrands corner in the first half that the Norseman met in the six-yard box.

Feyenoord could legitimately claim they had been the better side on the night and former Sunderland stopper Zoetebier had hardly a save to make until he was beaten by the spot.

But Rangers showed they possessed resilience in Paris - although they must prove it all over again in seven days' time.

They must also do so without right-back Fernando Ricksen, whose second half booking means he will be suspended for the trip to his homeland.

Teams:

Rangers: Klos, Vidmar, Konterman, Amoruso, Ricksen, Hughes (Latapy 82), Ferguson, Numan, Caniggia, Flo (Mols 59), Lovenkrands.

Subs Not Used: McGregor, McCann, Dodds, Kanchelskis, Ross.

Booked: Ricksen.

Goals: Ferguson 81 pen.

Feyenoord: Zoetebier, Emerton, Loovens, Rzasa, van Wonderen, Ono, Bosvelt, Paauwe, Tomasson, Kalou (van Persie 57), van Hooijdonk.

Subs Not Used: Timmer, Gyan, Aros, Smolarek, Korneev, Dos Santos.

Booked: Rzasa, van Hooijdonk, Paauwe, van Persie, Tomasson.

Goals: Ono 72.

Att: 49,041

Ref: Eric Poulat (France).