Rangers secured a decisive 3-0 victory over Aberdeen in a midweek Premiership clash at Ibrox, continuing their impressive home record and bringing much-needed relief to their fans. Hamza Igamane opened the scoring in the 13th minute, setting the tone for a match that saw Cyriel Dessers and Leon Balogun seal the win with two late goals in the 90th minute. This result leaves Aberdeen struggling, marking their 12th league game without a win and equaling an unwanted club record. The win was crucial for Rangers as they aimed to close the gap on Celtic, who had dropped points earlier.
The match unfolded at Ibrox, a fortress for Rangers, where they have won 16 of their last 18 midweek home league games. Rangers dominated possession and created multiple scoring opportunities, a performance lauded by their manager Philippe Clement. He emphasized the team's focus on maintaining pressure throughout the match.
"It was almost full domination of the game. That's what we've been working towards for months. We've done that in moments but not enough." – Philippe Clement
Hamza Igamane's early goal gave Rangers a lead that they never relinquished. The young centre-back Clinton Nsiala also received special praise from Clement for his stellar performance.
"I'm really proud of Clinton Nsiala because of all the work he's been doing in recent months with the B team and in training." – Philippe Clement
Despite missing several chances, Rangers continued to assert their dominance over Aberdeen. They were relentless in their pursuit of goals, eventually seeing their efforts rewarded with two strikes in the dying moments of the match.
"We could have scored more, we had enough chances. We weren't efficient enough, we hit the bar and post as well." – Philippe Clement
As the game drew to a close, Cyriel Dessers and Leon Balogun found the net in quick succession, cementing a well-deserved victory for the home side.
"Very pleased [I scored] today. I'm happy about the performance today, it was very solid and confident. We could've killed the game before. I was due a goal." – Leon Balogun
Liam Kelly, Rangers' goalkeeper, expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance and emphasized their strong home record.
"Very pleasing. Delighted with the three points. We're always confident, our home record speaks for itself." – Liam Kelly
Aberdeen's struggles continued as they failed to score for the third consecutive game in the Premiership and suffered a third straight away league defeat. Their manager, Jimmy Thelin, acknowledged his team's errors despite their commendable effort.
"Aberdeen were passive. As a team there was no energy. It's disappointing to watch. We lacked a lot of fight." – Andy Considine
Aberdeen now faces a critical period to regroup and find their rhythm before their upcoming fixtures.
"We have a cup game and one week to the next league game. We need to find the rhythm and stabilise as a team." – Philippe Clement
Rangers' victory not only boosted team morale but showcased their potential to challenge Celtic in the league standings. The win reflected a significant turnaround for Rangers, who now boast a 21-point swing in the table compared to Aberdeen's strong start to the season.
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