Matías Soulé and Lorenzo Pellegrini find the net as AS Roma outclass Rangers

There was admirable efficiency in the way Roma dealt with this trip to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. The team from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their European competition bid on the right path. Observers noted a glaring difference in class between Roma and a Rangers side that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven European games consecutively.

To their credit, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a second half when capitulation felt the more likely option. Yet, the game was decided as a contest at that stage. Rangers remain rooted to the bottom of the Europa League, which should constitute an embarrassment to a team of this standing. The Giallorossi have ambitions once more on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment here 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 Fairs Cup business 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 corruption of a referee. Back then, teams from Scotland could compete with the top sides in Europe. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a point that will shortly have huge ramifications.

The new manager’s key attribute up to now as the fanbase are see it is that he isn’t his predecessor. Martin’s ghastly tenure as the head coach lasted 123 days in the initial phase of this season. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a tiny sample size. The technical areas witnessed a clash of generations; Röhl is 36, his opposite number the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was far more striking as the sides took the field. Rangers’ obvious short stature against the Italians looked worrying. This point was confirmed within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder comfortably redirected a set-piece at the front post. At the back, the Argentine winger sprinted into space to fire his team ahead. The visitors minus the injured their young striker and their star attacker, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge even with reasonable performances in the tournament, were delighted with their quick lead.

Rangers should have equalised instantly. Instead, the forward screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. The player’s £8m purchase from Everton has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an productive striker but seems reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit dominated opening period the ball thereafter. They extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will lament the fact Pellegrini stood in complete freedom but it was a superb finish. Ibrox, usually a raucous place on European nights, had been silenced with time still remaining until halftime. Even the boos which met the interval were timid; Rangers were clearly in the midst of being overwhelmed.

The second period began against a unusual atmosphere. Supporters turned their attentions once again towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, obviously menacing in tone, showed the pair with targets on their faces. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman thinks about all this. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh had an low-profile life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a acquisition of this club. Paying punters have not targeted the owner so far but there is a rebellious feeling in the air. It is one which is easy to understand; Rangers’ leadership is completely unimpressive.

Right on cue, the striker was sent through on goal on the 60-minute mark and found only the outside of the goal. This actually triggered the home side’s best period of the match, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. Yet, nonetheless, difficult to determine the visitors’ continued attacking motivation until the full-back was presented with a opportunity all of a yard out which he inexplicably hit up and on to the underside of the crossbar.

That was it as far as clear-cut opportunity were concerned. The raft of substitutions from both teams meant this game closed more in the style of a summer exhibition than competitive match. This of course suited the Italians perfectly. It prompted reflection to consider how exactly the Glasgow club, runners-up in this competition in recently and strong enough of the quarter-finals a last year, reached the stage of just participating.