Wherever it eventually leads them, Rangers have developed an heroic spirit in this Champions League campaign. VfB Stuttgart may be the faltering champions of Germany, but they are reviving in the Bundesliga, having won five straight games, and for Rangers to come here last night and put two goals past them spoke volumes for Walter Smith’s men.

Rangers could have scored more, as could Stuttgart, in a game of copious chances. Smith’s side, though, will rue the way they could not force a victory, let alone the manner in which a worthy draw was snatched from their grasp six minutes from time.

The heroism belonged to Rangers – another compliment in a thoroughly dogged group E campaign so far. The bad news is that, despite everything, it will all come down to a nerve-shredding night at Ibrox in two weeks’ time, when Rangers and Lyons will tussle to see who joins Barcelona in advancing to the last 16.

With Lyons drawing 2-2 with Barcelona last night, a draw will do for Rangers on December 12, but the match in Glasgow will still have a door-die quality about it, with Lyons and Rangers now level on seven points.

Poor Allan McGregor. The Rangers goalkeeper had a marvellous first half last night but then seemed to fumble as Pavel Pardo put Stuttgart 2-1 ahead. Truly, this match had been there for the taking by Rangers.

At least Charlie Adam will not forget this night in a hurry. Having replaced the injured Lee McCulloch after 26 minutes, the Rangers midfield player scored with his first touch of the ball 60 seconds later. It was a magical moment for Rangers on a hectic night. The game certainly appeared to have goals in it, if the opening 45 minutes were anything to go by. This Champions League group, especially when Rangers are around, has tended to be a closed window of opportunity, with much closing down and a paucity of chances. This match, though, could have been four goals to the good by the time Darko Ceferin, the Slovenian referee, mercifully blew for half-time on a freezing night in Germany.

In the random way of it, both penalty boxes appeared to offer open season for strikers.

Even before Adam scored, there was a dangerous invention about Smith’s team. Jean-Claude Darcheville and DaMarcus Beasley had both come close to scoring.

On top of everything, David Weir’s header after 20 minutes had been kicked off his own goalline by Ludovic Magnin and, while Rangers were playing with just Darcheville as a striker, openings and chances poured their way. Yet their opener after 27 minutes must still have been the stuff of dreams for the often put-upon Adam.

McCulloch, who had been clattered by Andreas Beck, lay poleaxed on the floor for a few minutes before eventually being replaced by Adam.

If Rangers thought that this might be a blow, they were quickly revising that within seconds. From Beasley’s corner on the right, Carlos Cuellar’s knockdown fell to Adam, who wheeled and rammed the ball past Raphael Schafer from six yards.

It was a glorious moment for Rangers, though they had McGregor yet again to thank for keeping them intact for fully 45 minutes, until the final, killing seconds of the opening period did for Rangers.

Twice McGregor saved excellently for his side, the first time sprawling to make the block from Cacau’s shot, then repeating the feat from the Brazilian striker’s next effort.

Rangers, however, began to live dangerously as the first half drew to a close and paid the price five seconds before the interval.

From Thomas Hitzlsperger’s corner, Pardo hammered the ball low and back into the Rangers box. Cacau, standing six yards out, was the first to react, redirecting the ball past the helpless McGregor. It was cruel luck.

With McCulloch already off, Rangers suffered more misfortune when Beasley, chasing Darcheville’s pass, got caught between Mattieu Delpierre and Schafer inside the Stuttgart area. The little winger bounced into the air and was immediately calling for a stretcher. Thus Rangers lost their second player inside 47 minutes when Steven Naismith was called upon to replace the American.

Even worse then came with Stuttgart’s second goal and, alas, on this occasion McGregor looked culpable. Pardo was 25 yards out when he unleashed his shot, but the effort seemed to deceive McGregor as it bounced under his body and into the net.

Naismith raced down the right after 69 minutes to cross for Barry Ferguson to steer his shot past Schafer. But Rangers were caught cold for the third time on the night when Ciprian Marica swept his shot high past McGregor with six minutes remaining.

VfB Stuttgart (4-4-2): R Schafer – A Beck, Fernando Meira, M Delpierre, L Magnin – R Hilbert (sub: Ewerthon, 82min) P Pardo, S Khedira (sub: Antonio da Silva, 46), T Hitzlsperger – C Marica, Cacau (sub: S Tasci, 86). Substitutes not used: M Langer, R Osorio, S Meisnner, A Farnerud, Booked: Magnin.

Rangers (4-1-4-1): A McGregor – A Hutton, D Weir, C Cuellar, S Papac – B Hemdani – D Beasley (sub: S Naismith, 47), B Ferguson, K Thomson 7, L McCulloch 5 (sub: C Adam, 26) – J-C Darcheville (sub: D Cousin, 81). Substitutes not used: R Carroll, K Boyd, S Whittaker, Booked: McCulloch.

Referee: D Ceferin (Slovenia).