After heading for a goalless stalemate this International Youth match at National Stadium burst into life in the closing minutes with a goal, a brilliant save and two red cards.

By the time the final whistle had blown Rangers were celebrating their second win of the tournament, which guarantees them a place in Friday's final. Porto will now no doubt be all the more determined to be their opponents in that final.

A sometimes ill-tempered match kept referee Lyndon Raynor busy, even moreso in the last few minutes after Rangers broke the deadlock. The goal that never looked likely to arrive finally came in the 85th minute when substitute Alan Morgan flighted the ball in from a free kick on the left side and Steve Cully tucked home a header at the near post.

At last the game had a goal and it served to raise the intensity level as Porto pushed forward and almost equalised a minute from the end when Bruno Bento's shot from the edge of the box brought off a brilliant save from goalkeeper Adam McGregor who tipped the ball over the bar.

Rangers defenderr Ryan McCann was ejected in injury time for a second booking after a foul, having been cautioned midway through the first half. Porto's Hugo Soares was also sent off when he shoulder-charged an opponent after Raynor had blown for a foul against Porto.

All the late action livened up a second half that had been mostly quiet as both teams seemed content to settle for the point. Morgan almost produced the winner five minutes earlier than it came when his low shot rolled past the post.

Rangers held the upper hand up until midway in the first half before Porto made a late surge. The best chance for either team came in the 27th minute when a Porto move opened the Rangers defence but Carlos Duarte, cool and composed, calmly slid the ball past McGregor before watching it glide just past the far post.

Some of the best chances were falling to Duarte who had another opportunity to break the deadlock in the 38th minute. This time the 'keeper blocked his shot before a defender booted the ball away for a corner.

The missed chances late in the half came back to haunt Porto as they had the best opportunities to take the lead. Now they need at least a point against the United States tonight to advance to the final.