🔗 Share this article

Roma displayed impressive effectiveness about the way the Italian side dealt with this journey to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. The team from Rome did, however, face manageable rivals when putting their Europa League bid on the right path. There was a obvious difference in class between Roma and a the Scottish team side that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven continental matches in a row.

To their credit, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a second half when capitulation felt the probable outcome. However, the match was decided as a contest at that stage. The Scottish club remain rooted to the foot of the tournament, which should constitute an disgrace to a team of this standing. The Giallorossi have ambitions once more on making proper impact. One slight disappointment in this match was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting men against boys.

Surprisingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second-ever continental encounter with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibs in the early 60s. Their last such match, against Dundee United over two decades later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a referee. In those days, teams from Scotland could vie with the top sides in Europe. The current campaign has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a level that will soon have huge ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute up to now as the Rangers support are concerned is that he is not his predecessor. The latter’s ghastly spell as the manager lasted just over four months in the initial phase of the campaign. Röhl, the new man at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a limited timeframe. The dugouts witnessed a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is 36, his opposite number the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

Another element was much more noticeable as the sides lined up. The home team’s obvious short stature against the visitors looked ominous. That concern was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily redirected a corner at the front post. Following up, Matías Soulé burst forward to knock Roma ahead. The visitors minus the unavailable their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for bluntness despite decent performances in this campaign, were pleased with their quick lead.

Rangers could have equalised immediately. Rather, the forward screwed his shot wide after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. The player’s eight-million-pound purchase from the Toffees has increased scrutiny of the club’s recruitment team. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an effective striker but appears reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit controlled first-half possession from that point. They extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will lament the fact the midfielder was left in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous strike. Ibrox, typically a raucous place on European nights, had been silenced nine minutes until halftime. Even the boos which met the half-time whistle were timid; the home team were simply in the midst of being outclassed.

The second period started against a unusual atmosphere. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions once again towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, obviously sinister in tone, showed the duo with targets on their images. One wonders what the club owner thinks about all this. After all, the chairman enjoyed an anonymous career as a successful businessman in the US before fronting a acquisition of Rangers. Paying punters have not turned on the owner yet but there is a mutinous mood around the club. This is unsurprising; The team’s leadership is completely unconvincing.

As if scripted, the striker was played in on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and found only the side netting. This actually triggered the home side’s finest spell of the match, in which their substitute the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. It was, nonetheless, difficult to determine Roma’s remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was given a chance from close range which he inexplicably lifted and onto the bottom of the bar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut opportunity were concerned. The series of substitutions from both teams meant this game ended more in the style of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. This of course suited Roma perfectly. It prompted reflection to ponder how exactly Rangers, finalists in this tournament in recently and strong enough of the last eight a last year, arrived at the stage of making up the numbers.