🔗 Share this article

There was impressive effectiveness about the way the Italian side dealt with this journey to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their Europa League bid back on track. There was a obvious gulf in quality between Roma and a the Scottish team squad that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven European games in a row.

To their credit, the home side at least fought hard during a second half when capitulation felt the probable outcome. However, the game was settled as a competition by then. Rangers remain anchored at the bottom of the tournament, which should constitute an disgrace to a team of this standing. The Giallorossi have eyes once more on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment in this match was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting men against boys.

Amazingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second continental encounter with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibs in the early 60s. Their last such match, against the Terrors 23 years later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a referee. Back then, teams from Scotland could compete with the best in the continent. The current campaign has seen the UEFA coefficient plunge to a level that will soon have major consequences.

The new manager’s key attribute up to now as the fanbase are see it is that he isn’t Russell Martin. Martin’s dismal spell as the head coach continued for just over four months in the initial phase of this season. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has displayed potential though within a limited timeframe. The technical areas saw a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is sixty-seven.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the teams took the field. The home team’s glaring short stature against the visitors looked worrying. That concern was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as the Roma midfielder easily redirected a set-piece at the front post. Following up, Matías Soulé burst forward to fire his team ahead. A Roma team without the unavailable Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for bluntness even with decent performances in the tournament, were delighted with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side could have equalised instantly. Instead, the forward sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the Roma defence. The player’s £8m purchase from Everton has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an productive striker but appears reluctant or incapable to use them.

Roma controlled opening period possession from that point. They extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net came after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in blissful isolation but it was a superb strike. The stadium, usually a boisterous venue on continental evenings, had been quietened nine minutes before the break. Even the boos which met the interval were timid; the home team were clearly in the midst of being outclassed.

After the break started against a curious atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the top executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, clearly sinister in tone, depicted the pair with bullseyes on their faces. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman makes of the situation. After all, Andrew Cavenagh had an anonymous life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before leading a acquisition of this club. Paying punters have not turned on Cavenagh yet but there is a rebellious mood in the air. This is unsurprising; The team’s management is wholly unconvincing.

Right on cue, Chermiti was played in on goal on the hour mark and found only the side netting. That moment sparked Rangers’ 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 offensive intent until Zeki Celik was given a opportunity from close range which he inexplicably hit up and onto the bottom of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut chances were involved. The raft of changes from both teams meant this fixture closed more in the style of a summer exhibition than serious contest. This of course suited the Italians fine. There was cause to ponder how on earth Rangers, runners-up in this competition in recently and worthy of the last eight a season ago, arrived at the point of making up the numbers.