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Roma displayed admirable efficiency about the way Roma dealt with this journey to Glasgow. Without much drama. Roma from Italy’s capital did, however, face manageable rivals when placing their European competition bid on the right path. There was a glaring difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers side that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven European games consecutively.

Positively, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when surrender felt the more likely option. Yet, the match was settled as a competition by then. Rangers remain anchored at the bottom of the tournament, which should represent an embarrassment to a team of such stature. Roma have eyes once more on making proper impact. One slight disappointment in this match was in not producing a result that truly reflected men against boys.

Amazingly, this marked only Roma’s second continental encounter with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in the early 60s. The previous one, against the Terrors 23 years later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a match official. Back then, Scottish clubs could compete with the best in Europe. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient plunge to a level that will soon have major consequences.

The new manager’s key attribute so far as the Rangers support are see it is that he isn’t his predecessor. The latter’s dismal tenure as the head coach lasted 123 days in the early part of this season. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a limited timeframe. The technical areas witnessed a clash of generations; Röhl is 36, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the sides took the field. The home team’s glaring short stature against the Italians looked worrying. This point was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily redirected a corner at the front post. At the back, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to knock Roma ahead. A Roma team minus the unavailable their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge even with reasonable performances in this campaign, were pleased with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side should have levelled matters instantly. Rather, the forward screwed his shot wide after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s £8m signing from Everton has increased scrutiny of the club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physique to be an productive centre forward but seems reluctant or incapable to use them.

Roma dominated opening period the ball thereafter. They doubled their lead through their captain, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will lament the fact the midfielder was left in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous strike. The stadium, typically a raucous venue on continental evenings, had been silenced with time still remaining until halftime. Even the boos which met the interval were timid; Rangers were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

The second period began against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions once again towards the top executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, obviously menacing in message, showed the pair with targets on their images. One wonders what the club owner makes of all this. Ultimately, the chairman enjoyed an low-profile life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a takeover of Rangers. Fans have not turned on the owner yet but there is a mutinous feeling around the club. This is easy to understand; Rangers’ leadership is wholly unconvincing.

As if scripted, the striker was played in on goal on the hour mark and found only the outside of the goal. This actually triggered the home side’s best period of the game, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard shot narrowly past the post. It was, nonetheless, hard to determine Roma’s remaining attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was given a chance from close range which he inexplicably hit up and on to the bottom of the crossbar.

That was it as far as clear-cut chances were concerned. The series of substitutions from each side resulted in this game closed more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. That scenario benefited the Italians perfectly. There was cause to consider how on earth Rangers, finalists in this competition in recently and strong enough of the last eight a last year, arrived at the point of making up the numbers.