Gers' bid to qualify for the knockout stages will go right to the wire after they lost despite leading tonight.

Smith's men now need at least a draw when Lyon come calling in the final group match on December 12 after the French champions earned a draw against Barcelona.

Rangers had taken the lead through substitute Charlie Adam before Stuttgart hit back through Cacau in first-half injury time.

Barry Ferguson then cancelled out Pavel Pardo's strike before Ciprian Marica clinched the win late on.

"We came out and worked very hard and managed to get back on level terms, then we had another opportunity just after when Charlie Adam could have put us in front," Smith said on Sky Sports News.

"I'm a little bit disappointed to lose but at the end of the day, I felt losing the goal before half-time was probably the turning point in the game from Stuttgart's point of view."