SPORTCAST: Thomas Jordan and Darryl Broadfoot report from Germany.

KEVIN THOMSON today revealed how Walter Smith helped Rangers motor to a 1-1 draw with Stuttgart in the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

The Light Blues trooped in at half-time one goal down and expecting a blast after a below-par start - but there was no hairdryer treatment from the manager.

Instead, Thomson revealed how Smith was calm and composed as he convinced his players they were good enough to recover and turn the Champions League tie around.

And they did just that, Madjid Bougherra scoring a superb equaliser on a night when Rangers could well have gone on to bag all three points in the Group G opener.

"The manager stressed to us at half-time that we had to believe in ourselves," said Thomson.

"Although they were 1-0 ahead I don't really think there was that much in the game. Allan McGregor didn't have too many great saves to make.

"Stuttgart enjoyed a lot of possession but the manager told us he wanted us to impose ourselves more on the game in the second half and we managed that.

"We knew we could play better and that's basically what he said to us. He just kept drumming it into us that we were good enough and it was certainly a game of two halves as we improved quite a bit after the interval."

Thomson paid tribute to goal-hero Bougherra for conjuring up an equaliser with a run forward.

"The way Boogie plays he sometimes thinks he is a striker," joked Thommo. "In fact, I'm forever telling him that he actually plays further forward than me half the time and I'm a midfielder.

"But in fairness to him it was a terrific finish."

Thomson was also pleased to come through the 90 minutes in what was his first full game of the season.

He said: "I played in a bounce game against Morton before we flew over to Germany and I felt that helped. The timing of my sending off against Hearts was really bad as I was hoping to start playing at that stage.

"But it was a nice feeling to come through the game." Tickets are still available for Rangers Champions League campaign at Ibrox. The three-match packages are priced at £111 for adults and £81 for concessions. Ticket Hotline 0871 702 1972.