On a bitterly cold night at Ibrox, Rangers took a confident and assured step forward in their Scottish Premiership campaign with a commanding 2-0 victory over Aberdeen. The win, coming just days after a monumental derby triumph at Celtic Park, showcased a team that has learned to handle the pressure of success and refocus with impressive clarity.
Set-Piece Mastery Secures the Points
The home side's goals both originated from well-worked corner routines, highlighting the impact of set-piece coach Scott Fry. Manny Fernandez broke the deadlock in the first half, capitalising on a catastrophic error from Dons goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov. The Bulgarian international stumbled as he came to claim Connor Barron's delivery, leaving Fernandez with a simple headed finish for his fifth goal of the season.
Rangers' second goal followed a similar pattern. Another precise Barron corner found Nico Raskin darting to the near post, and his powerful header squirmed through Mitov's grasp to double the lead before the interval. These moments of quality from dead-ball situations proved the difference on an evening where open-play chances were not converted.
Aberdeen's Struggles Deepen at Ibrox
For Aberdeen, this defeat marked a fifth loss in six matches and offered little evidence of a turnaround following the departure of manager Jimmy Thelin. Interim boss Peter Leven saw his side second-best for large periods, lacking conviction and guilty of squandering rare opportunities.
Striker Kenan Bilalovic endured a particularly difficult night, wasting two golden chances in the first half with poor control when clean through on goal. The visitors' spirited finish, which saw Jack Butland tip a Kevin Nisbet header wide, did little to mask a performance that leaves them drifting dangerously away from the top six.
Rohl's Resurgent Rangers Eye the Summit
The victory is Rangers' fourth consecutive league win and extends Danny Rohl's impressive record to 10 wins, two draws, and just one defeat since taking charge. After failing to win any of their first five games this season, the transformation has been stark. The 12-point gap to league leaders Hearts has now been slashed to just three points, albeit having played a game more.
Rangers controlled the tempo from the outset, with James Tavernier and Mohamed Diomande returning to the starting lineup to add authority. While the intensity dipped after the break, the result was never in serious doubt. This result means Rangers, for the first time this season, now sit above Celtic in the table, firmly inserting themselves into the title conversation.
Both teams meet again this Sunday at Pittodrie. Based on this evidence, Rangers will travel north with confidence sky-high, while Aberdeen face a monumental task to stop their slide and salvage their season.
