🔗 Share this article

Roma displayed admirable efficiency about the way Roma dealt with this journey to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Rome did, however, meet favourable opposition when placing their European competition bid on the right path. Observers noted a obvious difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team side that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven European games in a row.

Positively, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a second half when surrender felt the probable option. Yet, the game was settled as a contest by then. Rangers remain rooted to the bottom of the tournament, which should constitute an embarrassment to a team of this standing. Roma have eyes again on making proper impact. One slight disappointment in this match was in not producing a result appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this marked only Roma’s second-ever continental encounter with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in the early 60s. The previous one, against Dundee United over two decades later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a match official. In those days, Scottish clubs could vie with the best in the continent. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient drop to a level that will soon have major consequences.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute so far as the Rangers support are concerned is that he is not Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly tenure as the head coach lasted just over four months in the initial phase of the campaign. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has shown promise though within a limited timeframe. The dugouts witnessed a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is 36, his counterpart the Roma manager is 67.

Another element was far more striking as the teams lined up. The home team’s obvious short stature against the Italians looked worrying. This point was proven within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante comfortably redirected a corner at the near post. Following up, Matías Soulé burst forward to knock his team ahead. The visitors without the unavailable Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for bluntness even with decent results in the tournament, were pleased with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side could have equalised instantly. Rather, the forward sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the Roma defence. The player’s £8m signing from Everton has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physique to be an effective striker but seems reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit controlled opening period the ball from that point. Roma doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will lament the fact Pellegrini was left in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous strike. Ibrox, usually a boisterous place on European nights, had been quietened nine minutes until halftime. Even the boos which met the half-time whistle were subdued; the home team were simply in the process of being outclassed.

The second period started against a curious atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus for the latest time towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, the director. A pair of displays, obviously sinister in message, showed the pair with targets on their faces. One wonders what the Rangers chairman thinks about the situation. After all, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an anonymous career as a successful businessman in the United States before fronting a acquisition of Rangers. Fans have not turned on the owner so far but there is a mutinous feeling in the air. This is easy to understand; The team’s management is wholly unimpressive.

As if scripted, Chermiti was sent through on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and found only the outside of the goal. This actually triggered the home side’s finest spell of the match, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. It was, however, difficult to determine the visitors’ remaining offensive intent until Zeki Celik was presented with a chance from close range which he inexplicably hit up and onto the bottom of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut opportunity were concerned. The series of substitutions from both teams meant this game closed more in the style of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. This of course suited the Italians fine. It prompted reflection to ponder how on earth the Glasgow club, finalists in this tournament in recently and strong enough of the last eight a season ago, reached the stage of making up the numbers.