Goals from Jean-Claude Darcheville and Steven Whittaker in the Jose Alvalade Stadium saw Rangers safely through to the last four of the competition.

The last time the Ibrox side reached that stage of a European tournament they went on to lift the European Cup Winners' Cup back in 1972.

This time around Fiorentina are the team who stand between Rangers and a place in the UEFA Cup final in Manchester next month.

The Italians overcame PSV Eindhoven to seal their own progression and Smith will now seek a dossier from Everton boss David Moyes, whose side faced Fiorentina in the last round.

"At this stage we don't know a great deal about them but we will get a full run down," said Smith.

"We had someone at the game tonight and Davie Moyes also knows a great deal about them.

"We are delighted to get to the semi-finals of a European competition for the first time in a long time, regardless of who the opposition is."

Darcheville set the ball rolling when he grabbed the opener on the hour mark before a wonderful goal from substitute Whittaker sealed the 2-0 aggregate win in injury time.

Smith added: "I thought we played very well, especially early on.

"We played very well from the start of the game and kept possession of the ball better than we have done in recent games.

"We are delighted to be through and we scored two good goals to get there. The goals were really good and were well worked.

"Whittaker running through like that was a surprising sight and it was also a good finish from Darcheville."

The only sour point of an otherwise memorable night was the bookings picked up by Kevin Thomson and Barry Ferguson, which rule the midfield duo out of the next European match.

"I was a little bit disappointed to get the bookings," said Smith.

"I felt they were probably deserved although on one or two occasions in the first half similar fouls by the opposition went without yellow cards.

"I was disappointed with that."

Sporting coach Paulo Bento described the defeat as a cruel blow - but insists his team still have plenty to play for this season.

He said: "We will analyse this game and correct what we did wrong.

"We will now focus on other objectives - to finish second in the championship and reach the final of the Portuguese cup.

"I feel sad as we all should. This was an objective we should have achieved.

"It was cruel what happened but we have to get over this and focus on the games coming up."