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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness in the way Roma dealt with this trip to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. The team from Italy’s capital did, however, face manageable rivals when placing their Europa League bid back on track. Observers noted a glaring gulf in quality between Roma and a the Scottish team side that has now lost a team record seven continental matches consecutively.

Positively, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a later period when capitulation felt the more likely outcome. Yet, the match was settled as a contest at that stage. Rangers remain rooted to the foot of the Europa League, which should represent an disgrace to a team of such stature. Roma have ambitions again on achieving significant success. Their only regret in this match was in not producing a result appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this represented only Roma’s second European joust with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in the early 60s. Their last such match, against the Terrors 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it politely) by the corruption of a match official. In those days, Scottish clubs could compete with the best in the continent. This season has seen the co-efficient drop to a point that will shortly have huge ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute so far as the fanbase are concerned is that he isn’t his predecessor. The latter’s dismal tenure as the manager continued for 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 dugouts witnessed a clash of generations; Röhl is 36, his opposite number the Roma manager is 67.

Another element was much more noticeable as the sides took the field. Rangers’ obvious lack of height against the Italians looked ominous. This point was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily flicked on a corner at the near post. At the back, the Argentine winger burst forward to knock his team in front. The visitors without the injured their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge even with reasonable results in this campaign, were pleased with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side should have levelled matters instantly. Rather, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a mix-up in the Roma defence. Chermiti’s £8m signing from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physical attributes to be an effective striker but seems reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit dominated opening period the ball thereafter. Roma doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will bemoan the fact Pellegrini stood in blissful isolation but it was a superb finish. The stadium, usually a boisterous place on European nights, had been quietened with time still remaining before the break. Even the boos which met the interval were subdued; Rangers were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

The second period started against a unusual atmosphere. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions for the latest time towards the top executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in message, showed the pair with bullseyes on their faces. One wonders what the club owner thinks about all this. After all, the chairman had an low-profile career as a successful businessman in the US before leading a acquisition of Rangers. Fans have not turned on Cavenagh so far but there is a mutinous mood around the club. This is easy to understand; Rangers’ management is wholly unconvincing.

Right on cue, Chermiti was played in on goal on the 60-minute mark and found only the side netting. That moment sparked the home side’s best period of the match, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard shot narrowly past the post. It was, nonetheless, difficult to gauge the visitors’ remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was presented with a opportunity all of a yard out which he inexplicably hit up and on to the underside of the bar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut chances were concerned. The raft of substitutions from both teams meant this game ended more in the style of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. That scenario benefited Roma fine. There was cause to consider how exactly the Glasgow club, finalists in this tournament in 2022 and worthy of the last eight a last year, reached the point of making up the numbers.