Rangers may have many problems off the pitch but on the pitch right now things could hardly be better, well apart from another slip up from Allan McGregor and a bad injury to Steven Naismith. Result wise things are perfect.
Rangers went into this game with a perfect away record in the SPL so far this season. Six games played, six won, fourteen goals scored, none conceded. We are unbeaten so far in the SPL this season but have drawn two at Ibrox.
Nikica Jelavic came back into the side after fully recovering from a virus. Kyle Lafferty made way for him. The team line-up was Allan McGregor in goals, a back four of Wallace, Bocanegra, Goian and Whittaker. The midfield were made up of Papac, Edu, McCulloch, Davis and Naismith, with Jelavic up front.
The major incident in the first half was the injury to Steven Naismith who went down after clumsily tackling Aberdeen’s Milsom. You knew straight away it was serious when he signalled to the bench he was in trouble. Kyle Lafferty came on to replace the stricken midfielder who has been immense for Rangers this season.
Goian looked to have taken a bad one as well towards the end of the first half when he was the victim of a dirty tackle from Clark. He limped off at half-time but appeared for the second half. Clark escaped a booking, he did get booked later for another bad one but should have had two bookings and been sent off the pitch.
Rangers best chance in the first half was when Sasa Papac got a free header in the box after a cross from Kyle Lafferty from the right. The Bosnian headed the ball into the ground though and it bounced over the bar.
The opening goal came in the 58th minute, and it was sub Kyle Lafferty who grabbed it. The big Northern Irish international fired home a cracker from inside the box after having the ball slipped through to him by Steven Davis. It was ex Rangers loan player Ricky Foster’s slip which had allowed the ball to break to Davis.
Rangers doubled their lead in the 70th minute from the penalty spot. Rangers were awarded the stone wall penalty after Sasa Papac got his legs took away from him by Darren Mackie when the Bosnian was about to shoot. The Aberdeen players protested but you will never see a more clear cut penalty. Nikica Jelavic fired the ball staight down the middle to give the Keeper no chance.
Aberdeen did pull one back in the 82nd minute. Ricky Foster, on loan to Rangers last season, hit a weak looking shot from about 25 yards, Allan McGregor somehow managed to throw it into his own net to spoil Rangers clean sheet run away from home.
Rangers held on for the victory to maintain the away run, but a bit of shine will be taken away from it with the error that gifted Aberdeen a goal to spoil the away shut out run, but we got the three points that’s the important thing.
Celtic later dropped another two points at home meaning Rangers are twelve points ahead of them, although they do have a game in hand. Rangers are nine points ahead of nearest challengers Motherwell, and they have played the same amount of games.
Next up for Rangers is a home game against out of form Dundee United on Guy Fawkes day.
Aberdeen v Rangers Match Stats
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