Scottish title is Rangers to lose - Edu

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GLASGOW, March 1, 2010 (AFP) - Maurice Edu says Rangers control their own destiny after his injury time winner against Celtic sent his club ten-points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

The American came off the bench to replace the injured Lee McCulloch in the first-half on Sunday and had an immediate impact when he thought he had scored with his first touch.

The ball fell to the midfielder 20 yards out and he rifled a volley past Artur Boruc into the bottom corner of the net to send the home fans wild.

But their joy was short-lived when it was disallowed after Kenny Miller was adjudged to have handled the ball earlier in the move.

Edu came close when he side-footed Papac's cross over the bar from eight yards out before he broke the deadlock in injury time.

Madjid Bougherra fired a shot low at Boruc who then made a point blank save from Kris Boyd's follow-up but couldn't stop Edu bundling the ball over the line from close range.

It capped a remarkable week for the midfielder after he was named in the 20-man USA squad for their friendly against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Wednesday as he looks to force his way into coach Bob Bradley's plans for the World Cup in South Africa.

"This was a massive game and three points for us and a big step towards retaining the title," Edu admitted.

"I think our fate for the rest of the season is in our hands but we are just going to take it game by game and try and get the results that we need.

"The squad all have the motivation and desire to win another championship.

"Every day in training you see the effort and heart and the will we play with in every game and I think that has been showing through.

"Some games aren't the prettiest games but we grind them out and get the results that we need and I think if we carry that mentality and that desire through the rest of the season we will be alright."

It has been a tough season for the American who has missed most of his club's games this campaign due to a knee injury sustained as they clinched the title at Tannadice on the final day last year.

The OldFirm matchwas only the 23-year-old's sixth appearance this term and he was delighted to get his first goal of the season in such important circumstances.

"It was amazing for me as I've had a rough season with injuries and it has been kind of stop start," Edu said.

"I've just been trying to get as many minutes as possible and try to get back into top form and to score a goal in a game like this and for it to end up as the match winner it's a great feeling for me.

"I'm going to use it as an extra push to keep working hard and remain in the side.

"It was just pure excitement when I scored. I had a goal called back earlier so I was a little bit disappointed but the boys fought well and created a couple of chances we could have scored.

"I didn't really see what happened (with the first goal). I just saw the ball coming to me and struck it and saw it go in and that's all that mattered to me. But it was called back and that's football and you just get on with it.

"However, to score the game winning goal in an Old Firm match is an unbelievable feeling and I'm just glad it went the way we wanted it to go."