Barry Ferguson acquired his first Ibrox win as Rangers supervisor on the sixth try with a thumping 4-0 Premiership victory over Aberdeen.
After a largely lifeless first half, Gers attacker Vaclav Cerny opened the scoring within the fifty fifth minute earlier than striker Cyriel Dessers doubled that lead 5 minutes later, with substitute Hamza Igamane notching within the seventieth minute and left-back Jefte including gloss in added time together with his fortuitous purpose.
It was a primary dwelling win for the Mild Blues since beating Ross County on February 2, with interim boss Ferguson – put in the identical month till the top of the season – culpable for the earlier 5 video games with no victory.
With two fixtures remaining, Scottish Cup finalists Aberdeen stay three factors behind third-placed Hibernian and can’t be pleased with their second-half capitulation.
It was a much-needed win for Rangers and Ferguson however for pissed off Gers followers, the upcoming takeover by an American consortium of Andrew Cavenagh and the 49ers Enterprises can’t come fast sufficient as a trophyless season nears its finish.
It was definitely not a dynamic begin in entrance of loads of empty seats.
Within the twenty second minute Dessers knocked a by way of ball from midfielder Mohamed Diomande previous the close to put up.
5 minutes later, the unmarked striker headed a cross from captain James Tavernier vast of the goal from eight yards and an excellent likelihood was gone.
The Dons responded shortly and Gers keeper Liam Kelly needed to save from Topi Keskinen, who had burst into the Mild Blues penalty space to take a Jamie McGrath go.
The match, nonetheless, actually got here to life simply earlier than the break
Dessers had the ball within the internet from a Connor Barron go, driving low previous Aberdeen keeper Dimitar Mitov just for VAR to rule offside.
Seconds later, Aberdeen striker Oday Dabbagh scored on the second try from a Leighton Clarkson free-kick, though he too was offside.
Igamane changed Nedim Bajrami for the beginning of the second half, whereas for the Dons, Kevin Nisbet and Pape Gueye got here on for Dabbagh and Jeppe Okkels.
It was the Dons who initially appeared the extra sprightly, with Keskinen hanging the put up with a drive from contained in the field with the ball rebounding again into play and Rangers escaping.
Within the 51st minute Ibrox defender John Souttar headed vast from a Tavernier nook however the breakthrough got here when midfielder Nicolas Raskin threaded a ball by way of the centre of the Dons defence and Cerny raced by way of to poke the ball low previous Mitov.
Dessers then headed a Cerny free-kick excessive over the bar however frailties within the Ibrox defence surfaced quickly afterwards with Kelly compelled right into a double save, first from Gueye after which Keskinen.
Nonetheless, moments later Dessers made amends for earlier misses when he transformed a cut-back from Raskin and the factors appeared protected.
Because the Dons defence opened up once more, Jefte scooped as shot over the bar as did Aberdeen’s Dante Polvara on the different finish nevertheless it was a bit of magic from Igamane, flicking the ball up and volleying previous Mitov from 25 yards, which introduced quantity three.
As Rangers stored urgent Mitov saved a header from defender Leon Balogun and efforts from substitutes Danilo and Tom Lawrence earlier than Cerny’s shot from outdoors the field went in off Jefte to seal a superb win.
