Rejuvenated Aberdeen made it seven instantly wins below intervening time boss Barry Robson with a 2–0 victory over startled Rangers at Pittodrie.
The hosts had the most efficient of a goalless first part and 3 mins after the restart, defender Liam Scales beat Allan McGregor with a shocking if in all probability fortuitous effort from broad at the left for his first purpose since signing on mortgage from Celtic final summer season.
Bojan Miovski headed in a 2d within the 56th minute to lend a hand Aberdeen to their first house win over Rangers since September 2016.
Robson took over from Jim Goodwin in January and the third-placed Dons proceed on an upward trajectory. Michael Beale, in the meantime, should have issues, with Rangers 13 issues in the back of leaders Celtic with 5 post-split fixtures ultimate. But actually the name was once already long gone with Rangers hopes all living within the Scottish Cup, their final sensible likelihood of silverware this season.
It was once a sobering defeat and Beale should get much more from his facet in subsequent week’s crunch semi-final in opposition to Celtic if they’re to have a possibility of keeping the trophy.
The afternoon had began with some promise for the Ibrox facet. Amid a hurly-burly get started the unchanged guests threatened within the twelfth minute when Alfredo Morelos’ shot from 8 yards was once headed off the road through Leighton Clarkson and John Lundstram fired the unfastened ball over the bar. Kelle Roos then stored an effort from Fashion Sakala after the attacker escaped the eye of Mattie Pollock.
The tempo of the sport didn’t subside and within the twenty fifth minute a sweeping Rangers transfer ended with left-back Borna Barisic hanging the outdoor of the put up with a power. The guests started to building up a head of steam and when Sakala’s suave flick put Nicolas Raskin thru, the midfielder’s shot was once blocked through Pollock for a nook.
Aberdeen had their first clearcut likelihood within the fortieth minute. Ben Davies’ careless move was once minimize out through Miovski and Ylber Ramadani, in for the suspended captain Graeme Shinnie, raced in on purpose prior to forcing McGregor right into a wonderful near-post save. But the ensuing nook got here to not anything, the primary part finishing with Aberdeen’s Ryan Duncan firing broad from distance.
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Rangers captain James Tavernier was once partially culpable for Aberdeen’s purpose when his move as much as Morelos was once minimize out through the alert Scales, who then introduced what gave the look of a go from the left which flew over McGregor and crept in on the a long way put up.
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But there was once undoubtedly in regards to the purpose of Aberdeen’s 2d, which got here from Clarkson’s luxurious go to the again put up that Miovski headed again throughout McGregor and into the online, the purpose showed after a long VAR test.
Rangers had been in every single place for a number of mins as the house facet went for a 3rd however they steadied and labored their long ago into the sport. In the 72nd minute Roos stored Tavernier’s shot from point-blank vary prior to exchange Rabbi Matondo, on for Raskin, ignored from 14 yards as possibilities of a comeback decreased through the minute.
At the opposite finish, McGregor blocked a power from Duncan, fighting a larger defeat for the shell-shocked guests.
While Aberdeen’s development below Robson continues, Rangers should now refocus on their upcoming semi-final in opposition to Celtic, now the largest sport in their season.
