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Roma displayed admirable efficiency in the way the Italian side handled this journey to Scotland. Without much drama. Roma from Rome did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when putting their Europa League bid on the right path. Observers noted a obvious gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers squad that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven continental matches consecutively.

To their credit, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a second half when capitulation felt the probable option. However, the game was decided as a competition at that stage. The Scottish club remain rooted to the foot of the Europa League, which should represent an embarrassment to a team of this standing. Roma have ambitions once more on making proper impact. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a scoreline that truly reflected men against boys.

Amazingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second-ever continental encounter with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in 1961. The previous one, against the Terrors 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a match official. Back then, Scottish clubs could compete with the best in the continent. This season has seen the co-efficient plunge to a level that will shortly have huge consequences.

The new manager’s main quality up to now as the fanbase are see it is that he is not Russell Martin. Martin’s dismal spell as the manager lasted 123 days in the early part of this season. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise though within a tiny sample size. The dugouts saw a clash of generations; Röhl is thirty-six, his opposite number Gian Piero Gasperini is sixty-seven.

Another element was much more noticeable as the teams took the field. Rangers’ glaring lack of height against the visitors looked worrying. This point was proven within the opening quarter-hour as the Roma midfielder comfortably flicked on a corner at the near post. Following up, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to fire his team in front. A Roma team minus the unavailable Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge even with reasonable results in the tournament, were pleased with their quick lead.

Rangers could have equalised immediately. Rather, the forward screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s £8m purchase from Everton has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an productive centre forward but seems unwilling or unable to use them.

Roma dominated opening period possession from that point. They doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will lament the fact the midfielder stood in blissful isolation but it was a superb finish. Ibrox, typically a raucous place on European nights, had been quietened nine minutes before the break. Even the boos which met the interval were subdued; the home team were clearly in the midst of being outclassed.

After the break began against a curious atmosphere. Supporters turned their attentions for the latest time towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, clearly sinister in tone, depicted the pair with targets on their images. One wonders what the club owner 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. Paying punters have not turned on Cavenagh so far but there is a mutinous feeling in the air. It is one which is unsurprising; Rangers’ management is completely unconvincing.

As if scripted, the striker was played in on goal on the hour mark and hit the outside of the goal. This actually triggered the home side’s best period of the match, in which their replacement the young midfielder fired just wide. Yet, however, hard to determine Roma’s remaining offensive intent until Zeki Celik was given a opportunity all of a yard out which he inexplicably hit up and on to the underside of the bar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful chances were concerned. The raft of changes from each side resulted in this fixture closed more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. That scenario benefited the Italians perfectly. It prompted reflection to ponder how on earth Rangers, runners-up in this competition in 2022 and worthy of the quarter-finals a last year, arrived at the point of just participating.