Soulé along with Pellegrini on target as AS Roma dominate Rangers
Roma displayed impressive effectiveness about the way Roma dealt with this journey to Scotland. Without much drama. The team from Rome did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their Europa League bid on the right path. There was a glaring gulf in quality between Roma and a Rangers squad that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven continental matches consecutively.
Positively, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a later period when surrender felt the more likely outcome. However, the game was settled as a contest by then. Rangers remain rooted to the foot of the Europa League, which should constitute an embarrassment to a club of such stature. Roma have eyes again on achieving significant success. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.
Surprisingly, this represented only Roma’s second continental encounter with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibs in the early 60s. Their last such match, against Dundee United over two decades later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a referee. Back then, Scottish clubs could vie with the top sides in the continent. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient plunge to a point that will soon have major consequences.
The new manager’s main quality up to now as the Rangers support are concerned is that he is not Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly tenure as the manager continued for just over four months in the early part of the campaign. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise though within a limited timeframe. The technical areas witnessed a generation game; Röhl is 36, his opposite number the Roma manager is sixty-seven.
A further factor was much more noticeable as the teams took the field. The home team’s obvious short stature against the Italians looked ominous. This point was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily flicked on a corner at the near post. At the back, MatĂas SoulĂ© sprinted into space to fire Roma ahead. The visitors without the unavailable their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge despite reasonable performances in the tournament, were pleased with their quick lead.
Rangers could have equalised instantly. Rather, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. The player’s £8m purchase from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an productive striker but seems unwilling or unable to use them.
Roma controlled first-half possession thereafter. They extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous finish. The stadium, usually a boisterous place on European nights, had been quietened nine minutes before the break. Even the boos which greeted the interval were subdued; the home team were clearly in the midst of being overwhelmed.
The second period began against a unusual atmosphere. Supporters turned their attentions once again towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and transfer chief, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in message, depicted the duo with targets on their images. One wonders what the Rangers chairman makes of the situation. Ultimately, the chairman enjoyed an anonymous life as a successful businessman in the US before fronting a acquisition of this club. Fans have not targeted Cavenagh so far but there is a rebellious feeling around the club. This is unsurprising; Rangers’ management is wholly unconvincing.
Right on cue, Chermiti was played in 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. Yet, however, difficult to gauge the visitors’ remaining offensive intent until Zeki Celik was presented with a chance all of a yard out which he somehow hit up and on to the underside of the crossbar.
That was it as far as meaningful chances were concerned. The raft of changes from both teams resulted in this game closed more in the style of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. That scenario benefited Roma fine. It prompted reflection to consider how exactly the Glasgow club, runners-up in this tournament in 2022 and worthy of the last eight a last year, arrived at the stage of making up the numbers.
