Rangers earned all three points after a 3-1 win over Ross County but missed the chance to top the Scottish Premiership by a goal.
Cyriel Dessers scored a double in a first half that saw Simon Murray level things up. John Souttar added a third late from a corner to make the points secured but on a night where Philippe Clement's side had more chances than they could've hoped for, the hosts failed to find a fourth.
Here are the big talking points...
Three points but an unfulfilled evening?
This was, overall, a strange game. The tension given the possibility of going top felt palpable all evening and despite Rangers creating an abundance of opportunities - 4.77 to 0.53xG - the outcome always felt somewhat in limbo until Souttar's late header. The visitors committed numbers to their attack, took a dangerous corner in contrast to the hosts and were happy to protect their one-goal lead until late on. As they dropped and space behind the lines started to disappear the tempo of the game slowed. Rangers had too many good opportunities to list succinctly truth be told. George Wickens enjoyed an excellent night in the County goal to keep things nervy until late on with the hosts attempting 43 shots. You’d be far-pressed to find a game more one-sided on the basis of chances in football this week and a consequence of the one-goal lead was nerves until the late third. Rangers got what they ultimately came for, all three points. This was a good evening overall where the hosts played some excellent football to a point. The crowd still felt pleased come full-time. There will be a slight tinge of regret they didn't score more, however.
Four games rolled into one half of football
This threatened to be the most routine game Ibrox had witnessed all season until Simon Murray levelled things up, punishing Rangers for an abundance of missed opportunities. County played with two strikers and although it left them light in the midfield, where Rangers’ forward runs caused havoc, it allowed them to carry a constant threat in transition creating a two-vs-two against Goldson and Souttar as the goal demonstrated. Before Cyriel Dessers reinstated the hosts’ lead in first-half injury time Ibrox was as angsty as it has been in a long time. Knowing a win by a three-goal margin would take them top of the table the missed opportunity seemed apparent. Fuelled by the comfortable evening given up the game became scrappy for a period until Dessers, finally, added his and his side’s second.
Well, that half had about four games rolled into it...
— Joshua Barrie (@JoshuaBarrieRR) February 14, 2024
County have carried a real threat with their numbers up top in transition but Rangers ought to have been out of sight,
Dessers hit the post and saw one cleared off the line before a second made Ibrox very relieved. pic.twitter.com/Tv0v9aPfEx
Dessers does it… again
He just doesn’t stop taking chances. Dessers saw it all in the first half tonight at Ibrox. His opener was a brilliant opener lifted over the County goalkeeper having timed a curved run in behind. It was not dissimilar from the chance missed in Michael Beale’s final game in charge against Aberdeen. The Nigerian forward struck the post soon after, saw one cleared off the line and ought to have played in Rabbi Matondo for a simpler finish on another occasion. What has allowed him to write his redemption story to this point, however, is a mental strength to keep going when pressure arises. The 29-year-old did just that to connect with another Tavernier delivery moments before the interval, heading home an ironically more difficult chance to change the tone heading into the dressing room.
Cantwell continues to impress at No.10
In 2024 Todd Cantwell has found his best performances of the season and now acclimatised to Philippe Clement’s style, both parties are feeling the benefit. The No.13, now in his rhythm after an injury-disrupted start to the campaign, is starting to run games for Rangers. Unfortunate not to score from range when a late shot was pushed onto the crossbar it feels as though Cantwell is playing with confidence again and that, for a player in his role of deciding margins and taking risks is crucial.
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