Edu scores both in Gers-Valencia draw

Edu scores both in Gers-Valencia draw

Published Oct. 20, 2010 10:49 p.m. ET

American midfielder Maurice Edu managed to score a header for both sides as Rangers kept up its unbeaten start in the Champions League with a 1-1 draw against Valencia.

Edu capped an impressive first half by leaping to head in Vladimir Weiss's corner to give the Scottish side the lead after 34 minutes.

But less than a minute into the second half, Edu, who also hit the post for Rangers, glanced a header into his own net from Tino Costa's free kick to put Valencia back on level terms.

"The first goal I didn't have time to celebrate because I took a knock on the head and was laid on the ground for a while," Edu said. "The own goal, I saw it late and the next thing I know it hit me and it was in."

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Edu's own goal was the first conceded by Rangers in three games and Walter Smith's side remains second in Group C, two points behind Manchester United and one ahead of Valencia.

However, the Scottish side may rue failing to take one of several chances to win the game against Valencia.

Richard Foster, Sasa Papac, Steven Davis and Steven Naismith all squandered opportunities to give Rangers what would have been a second win in the group.

"We're definitely disappointed because I thought we created the more dangerous chances and we were unlucky not to finish a couple more," Edu said.

Valencia, which was beaten by Barcelona at the weekend to lose its lead in the Spanish league, made the better start at Ibrox and Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor smothered a long-range shot from Pablo Hernandez.

But Rangers worked its way into the game and Naismith, who scored the winner against Bursaspor in the last game, shot too close to the 'keeper before Kenny Miller's header was blocked and Steven Whittaker had a penalty claim turned down.

The host eventually went ahead with Edu's towering header, and the American midfielder was close to making it a 2-0 scoreline at halftime but was denied by the post, with Miller blazing the rebound over.

Rangers had chances to snatch the win even after the inadvertent equalizer, but Cesar Sanchez was out quickly to deny Miller and then made a fingertip save from Davis.

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