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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness about the way the Italian side handled this journey to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when placing their Europa League bid on the right path. Observers noted a glaring difference in class between Roma and a the Scottish team squad 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 match was decided as a competition by then. The Scottish club remain anchored at the foot of the Europa League, which should represent an embarrassment to a team of such stature. The Giallorossi have ambitions once more on making proper impact. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting men against boys.

Amazingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second European joust with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in 1961. The previous one, against Dundee United over two decades later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a match official. In those days, teams from Scotland could compete with the best in Europe. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient drop to a point that will soon have major consequences.

Danny Röhl’s main quality up to now as the Rangers support are concerned is that he isn’t Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly spell as the head coach lasted 123 days in the early part of the campaign. The German coach, the new man 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 67.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the sides lined up. Rangers’ glaring lack of height against the visitors looked worrying. That concern was confirmed within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder comfortably redirected a corner at the near post. Following up, Matías Soulé burst forward to knock Roma ahead. A Roma team minus the injured Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge despite decent results in the tournament, were pleased with their quick lead.

Rangers should have levelled matters instantly. Rather, the forward sent his effort off target after a defensive error in the Roma defence. Chermiti’s £8m signing from the Toffees has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physique to be an productive centre forward but appears reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit controlled first-half the ball thereafter. They doubled their lead through their captain, whose bent effort into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net came after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will lament the fact the midfielder was left in complete freedom but it was a superb finish. The stadium, typically a boisterous place on European nights, had been quietened nine minutes before the break. Even the boos which met the interval were subdued; Rangers were clearly in the midst of being overwhelmed.

After the break began against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and sporting director, the director. A pair of displays, obviously menacing in message, depicted the duo with bullseyes on their faces. One wonders what the club owner makes of all this. After all, the chairman had an low-profile life as a successful businessman in the US before fronting a takeover of Rangers. Paying punters have not turned on the owner yet but there is a mutinous mood in the air. It is one which is unsurprising; The team’s leadership is completely unconvincing.

Right on cue, Chermiti was sent through on goal on the 60-minute mark and found only the side netting. That moment sparked Rangers’ finest spell of the match, in which their replacement the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. It was, nonetheless, hard to gauge Roma’s continued attacking motivation until the full-back was presented with a chance all of a yard out which he inexplicably hit up and onto the bottom of the crossbar.

That was it as far as meaningful opportunity were concerned. The raft of substitutions from both teams meant this game closed more in the style of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. That scenario benefited the Italians fine. There was cause to consider how exactly Rangers, finalists in this competition in 2022 and strong enough of the last eight a season ago, reached the point of making up the numbers.