Rangers made a winning start to the Emirates Cup thanks to a late header from in-demand defender Madjid Bougherra saw off Paris Saint-Germain.

French champions Bordeaux had been strongly linked with the Algerian who once again demonstrated his worth from set-pieces when he powered in Pedro Mendes corner 14 minutes from time.

The match also saw the return of long-term injury victim Kevin Thomson off the substitutes’ bench and Gers boss Walter Smith will have been pleased with his side’s battling display.

Despite watching his team making most of the early running, it was the French side who looked more likely to break the deadlock through £8million striker Mevlut Erding who just failed to connect with one cross before seeing his lob land on the roof of the net.

Both former Hibs midfielder Thomson and striker Kris Boyd looked lively when they came on and the latter may have done better when being put through by Mendes.

But the Portuguese’s delivery did find Bougherra and the Scottish champions will now face Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.