Chris Sutton has tipped Rangers to become the first Scottish side to advance into the second stage of the Champions League. The Ibrox side’s next fixtures are the home and away clashes against Artmedia Bratislava, shock conquerors of Celtic in the preliminary round. Sutton suffered a fractured cheekbone in the first leg in Slovakia after a clash with teammate Neil Lennon and has only recently been restored to the Parkhead side. ‘Rangers have a very good chance of qualifying,’ he said. ‘They have to win at Ibrox and get at least a draw in Bratislava. The danger is that Artmedia, having won in Porto, will think they can win anywhere’

Materazzi roots for Scotland

Marco Materazzi says Walter Smith can still lead Scotland to the World Cup finals next summer. The Inter and Italy centre-back, who Smith signed for Everton, hopes Scotland can pip Norway for the playoff spot in Group 5. ‘I was hugely impressed by Scotland in the two games we had against them,’ he said. ‘Walter is not only a great manager but a wonderful person, he gets the best from his players by treating them with loyalty and respect. I would love him to earn the playoff place’

Finalists push for venue switch

Hamilton Accies and St Mirren will unite tomorrow in a bid to get their Bell’s Challenge Cup final moved from Airdrie’s New Broomfield to Firhill. The clubs will put forward their concerns to the Scottish Football League over public transport and local facilities for the final, due to be played on Sunday, November 6

Burley ready to gamble with Czech

With Hearts striker Roman Bednar injuring his knee in last week’s victory over Rangers at Tynecastle, Czech compatriot Michal Pospisil, right, could be thrown in the deep end at Falkirk today. ‘We’ve got three main strikers,’ says manager George Burley. ‘Edgar (Jankauskas) is fit, Roman’s out and Michal hasn’t played for six to eight weeks. He’s been training this week, but if you’re saying ‘is he 100% fit?’ I ’d say no, but we might gamble’

Thistle sting Alloa for six

Partick leapt from fifth to third in the Second Division table with a 6-1 win over Alloa at Recreation Park. Jukka Santala scored twice in the rout, with Graeme Dorrans, Scott McCulloch and James and Billy Gibson also scoring. Gretna remain one point ahead of Morton at the top of the table thanks to Steve Tosh’s fourth-minute goal that beat Dumbarton at Raydale Park

Webster ends Berwick’s perfect start

Berwick lost their 100% record in the Third Division as Montrose earned a 1-1 draw at Links Park. Kevin Webster equalised Ian Little’s opener for Berwick, but they still lead the league by three points from Stenhousemuir who lost 4-1 at Cowdenbeath

Sheffield no longer a league apart

There were contrasting fortunes for Sheffield’s two clubs in the Coca-Cola Championship. Leaders United lost 2-1 at second-placed Reading, who close the gap on them to three points, while Paul Sturrock’s Sheffield Wednesday side recorded a 3-2 home win over Coventry to lift them off the foot of the table

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