🔗 Share this article

Roma displayed impressive effectiveness about the way the Italian side handled this trip to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. The team from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their Europa League bid on the right path. There was a obvious gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers side that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven continental matches consecutively.

Positively, Rangers at least fought hard during a second half when surrender felt the more likely outcome. Yet, the game was decided as a competition at that stage. The Scottish club remain anchored at the foot of the Europa League, which should represent an disgrace to a team of this standing. Roma have eyes once more on making proper impact. One slight disappointment in this match was in not producing a result that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second continental encounter with a team from Scotland since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in the early 60s. Their last such match, against the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a referee. Back then, Scottish clubs could vie with the top sides in Europe. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient drop to a level that will shortly have major ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute up to now as the fanbase are see it is that he is not his predecessor. Martin’s dismal spell as the manager lasted just over four months in the initial phase of the campaign. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a limited timeframe. The technical areas witnessed a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his opposite number the Roma manager is 67.

A further factor was far more striking as the teams took the field. Rangers’ obvious lack of height against the Italians looked worrying. That concern was confirmed within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily flicked on a set-piece at the near post. At the back, the Argentine winger burst forward to fire his team in front. The visitors minus the injured Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge even with reasonable results in the tournament, were pleased with their early advantage.

Rangers should have equalised immediately. Rather, the forward sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the Roma defence. Chermiti’s £8m purchase from Everton has increased scrutiny of the club’s recruitment team. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an effective striker but appears unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit dominated opening period possession from that point. Roma doubled their lead through their captain, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net came after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will lament the fact the midfielder was left in complete freedom but it was a superb finish. Ibrox, usually a boisterous place on European nights, had been quietened with time still remaining until halftime. The discontent which greeted the half-time whistle were timid; the home team were simply in the midst of being overwhelmed.

After the break began against a unusual atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the top executive, the CEO, and transfer chief, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, clearly sinister in message, depicted the pair with targets on their faces. One wonders what the club owner makes of all this. After all, the chairman had an anonymous career as a successful businessman in the US before fronting a acquisition of this club. Fans have not turned on the owner yet but there is a rebellious feeling in the air. It is one which is easy to understand; Rangers’ management is completely unimpressive.

As if scripted, the striker 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 game, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard shot narrowly past the post. It was, however, difficult to gauge Roma’s remaining offensive intent until Zeki Celik was given a chance all of a yard out which he inexplicably lifted and on to the underside of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut opportunity were concerned. The raft of changes from each side resulted in this game closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than serious contest. This of course suited Roma fine. It prompted reflection to consider how on earth Rangers, runners-up in this competition in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a last year, reached the stage of making up the numbers.