Norwegian internationalist Tore Andre Flo, Rangers' #12m signing from Chelsea, was at the centre of yet another injury worry in Florida last night when he was taken off in the second half of the practice game against FC Uruguay in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday.

Initially, it was thought that Flo had simply twisted an ankle after taking a late challenge. Medical staff examined him before training yesterday and would not allow him to join the rest of the players before they took him to hospital for checks.

John Greig explained later: ''We thought at first it was just a simple thing. But when the physios took a closer look at the ankle they decided he required a scan and X-ray to ascertain if there was any further damage.

''We have to wait to see the results before we shall know whether there is anything serious wrong.''

Clearly, however, the swiftness with which the backroom staff acted to take the World Cup star to hospital suggests that there is concern over the fitness of the most expensive player in Rangers' history.

Flo played in only three games before being injured following his transfer.

He returned for part of one game and the whole of another just before the winter break when scored three goals in wins over St Johnstone and St Mirren. He was one of the players expected to benefit from the Florida break. Now it would appear that he could be missing when the season resumes at the end of this month.

The one bonus for the Ibrox club is that the damaged ankle is not the same one which gave him problems during his spell at Stamford Bridge.

Earlier this week, manager Dick Advocaat had talked of the striker as being the vital piece of the jigsaw they had been looking for since last February - and only succeeded in signing in November. He also stressed the importance of the player in his plans and would have wanted him to team up with Michael Mols or Kenny Miller when the domestic programme resumes. Miller scored the second of Rangers' goals and forced Brazilian defender Marcio Novo into the mistake which saw him score an own-goal. The two strikes came within minutes of each other in the first half. The first in 14 minutes and the second in the 16th. As expected Rangers employed almost all their fit players in the match but could not add to the score.

The game ended two minutes early when referee Jaime Guterez blew in what seemed to be an effort to stifle on-field

controversy when Lorenzo Amoruso clashed with one-time Colombian internationalist Diego Osorio who made a late, bad tempered lunge on the

Italian who reacted by pushing him away.

The Rangers defender had been yellow carded earlier in the second half and Osorio wanted him red carded.

As well as the injury to Flo, Danish wunderkid Peter Lovenkrands limped out of the action just before half time when he pulled a hamstring. Billy Dodds has a strain he collected over here and has not trained for the last couple of days.

Situation normal it seems on the Rangers' injury front.

Incidentally anyone who wants to find out how the Ibrox team are doing during the game against Miami Fusion tonight can find out on the Internet.

The match starts at 12.30am and will be sent out live on the by American company internetsoccer.com.

The expected return to action by defender Craig Moore has been placed on hold while Rangers complete their winter break training in Florida. The Australian did not play on Thursday night and will not make it for the more testing encounter with Miami Fusion tonight.

But Rangers' supporters need not be too concerned at the news from Fort Lauderdale because yesterday Moore was adamant that he will be back and that there is every probability that he will be able to continue his career until he is 35, an assurance given by the Sydney surgeon who performed the third operation on his damaged knee.

''I won't be taking any chances at all,'' he said: ''The grounds over here are hard because of all the heat and so it could give me problems if I played. All I have to do now is concentrate on getting the strength back in the leg because the injury has left it weakened.

''Maybe I made a mistake to play in the Scottish Cup Final last year. But that was a medal I had not won and I wanted to be involved in the game, and I spoke to the gaffer about it and he agreed that it was worth taking a little gamble.''

Now, looking back, he cannot pinpoint exactly when he realised that the knee was going to give him so much grief.

''I don't recall when it was,'' he went on: ''but I felt this stab of pain after a match and realised that there was something wrong. But there was no single incident when it might have taken place.

''It has been a long time, a lot longer than I ever thought and there were times when I wondered if I was ever going to be able to play again. That was after I had gone through two operations and was out in Australia knowing that I was needing surgery again.

''I had gone back to Australia because for the first time since I came to Scotland I was feeling homesick. So I asked the Gaffer if it was okay to go home and that while I was there I could see the surgeon in Sydney who worked with the Australian national team.

''Everything worked out well and the doctor talked to me after the operation and reassurred me that the knee was l00 per cent again and he saw no reason why I cannot keep on playing until I am 35-years-old.

While Rangers have had defensive problems and may have more as suspensions and injuries continue to worry them, Moore is under no pressure from Advocaat to accelerate his recovery.

''He will not be trying to get me to play before I feel that I'm ready,'' Moore revealed: ''Everyone has been really supportive including the fans. They just keep telling me to get myself fit and start to play again.

''Now, all I want is to come back and not be involved in any defeats which might damage the club's championship hopes when I am in the team.''

Moore also praised his long-time central defensive mate Lorenzo Amoruso saying: ''I have always enjoyed playing with Lorenzo and he was a good captain for the club and a very good player for Rangers over the past few years.''

Moore will now maintain his personal fitness regime and while he will not be tempted to name a date for his return to action it is clear that he anticipates being back in the first team sooner rather than later.

It could well be that the so-reliable Australian will be ready to face Celtic in the Old Firm double-header next month.