Soulé and Pellegrini on target as Roma dominate Glasgow Rangers

There was admirable efficiency in the way the Italian side handled this trip to Scotland. Without much drama. Roma from Italy’s capital did, however, meet favourable opposition when placing their European competition bid back on track. There was a glaring difference in class between Roma and a Rangers side that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven continental matches in a row.

Positively, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a second half when surrender felt the more likely option. However, the match was decided as a competition at that stage. The Scottish club remain anchored at the bottom of the Europa League, which should represent an disgrace to a club of such stature. The Giallorossi have eyes once more on making proper impact. One slight disappointment in this match was in not delivering a result appropriately depicting men against boys.

Surprisingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second-ever European joust with a team from Scotland since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in 1961. Their last such match, against Dundee United over two decades later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a referee. Back then, Scottish clubs could compete with the top sides in the continent. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient drop to a point that will shortly have huge consequences.

Danny Röhl’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 manager continued for just over four months in the early part of this season. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a limited timeframe. The dugouts saw a generation game; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his opposite number the Roma manager is 67.

A further factor was far more striking as the sides took the field. Rangers’ glaring short stature against the visitors looked ominous. That concern was proven within the opening quarter-hour as the Roma midfielder comfortably redirected a corner at the front post. At the back, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to fire Roma in front. The visitors without the injured their young striker and their star attacker, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge despite reasonable performances in the tournament, were pleased with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side should have equalised instantly. Rather, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s eight-million-pound signing from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physique to be an effective centre forward but appears unwilling or unable to use them.

The Italian outfit dominated opening period possession from that point. They doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net came after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in complete freedom but it was a superb finish. Ibrox, typically a boisterous place on European nights, had been silenced nine minutes until halftime. Even the boos which met the half-time whistle were subdued; the home team were clearly in the process of being outclassed.

The second period began against a unusual atmosphere. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions once again towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and sporting director, the director. Two banners, obviously sinister in message, depicted the duo with targets on their images. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman makes of the situation. After all, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an anonymous career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before leading a acquisition of Rangers. Fans have not turned on Cavenagh so far but there is a mutinous feeling around the club. This is easy to understand; Rangers’ management is completely unimpressive.

As if scripted, Chermiti was played in on goal on the hour mark and hit the side netting. This actually triggered the home side’s best period of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder fired just wide. It was, however, difficult to determine the visitors’ remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was presented with a opportunity all of a yard out which he somehow lifted and on to the bottom of the bar.

That was it as far as clear-cut opportunity were involved. The series of changes from both teams meant this game closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than serious contest. This of course suited Roma fine. There was cause to ponder how on earth the Glasgow club, finalists in this competition in recently and strong enough of the last eight a season ago, reached the stage of making up the numbers.