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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness in the way the Italian side dealt with this journey to Glasgow. Without much drama. The team from Rome did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their European competition bid back on track. There was a obvious difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team squad that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven continental matches in a row.

Positively, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a later period when capitulation felt the probable outcome. Yet, the match was decided as a competition at that stage. The Scottish club remain anchored at the foot of the tournament, which should constitute an embarrassment to a team of this standing. Roma have eyes again on making proper impact. Their only regret here was in not producing a result that truly reflected men against boys.

Amazingly, this represented only Roma’s second-ever continental encounter with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in the early 60s. Their last such match, against Dundee United over two decades later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, Scottish clubs could vie with the best in the continent. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient drop to a level that will shortly have huge consequences.

The new manager’s key attribute so far as the fanbase are see it is that he is not his predecessor. Martin’s dismal spell as the head coach lasted 123 days in the initial phase of this season. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential though within a limited timeframe. The dugouts saw a clash of generations; Röhl is thirty-six, his counterpart the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the teams lined up. The home team’s glaring lack of height against the Italians looked ominous. This point was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily redirected a set-piece at the near post. Following up, Matías Soulé burst forward to fire his team ahead. A Roma team without the injured Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for bluntness despite reasonable performances in this campaign, were delighted with their early advantage.

Rangers should have equalised instantly. Instead, the forward sent his effort off target 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 productive centre forward but seems reluctant or incapable to use them.

Roma controlled first-half the ball from that point. They extended their advantage through their captain, whose bent effort into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will lament the fact Pellegrini stood in complete freedom but it was a superb strike. The stadium, typically a boisterous place on continental evenings, had been silenced nine minutes until halftime. The discontent which met the interval were subdued; the home team were clearly in the midst of being outclassed.

After the break began against a unusual backdrop. Supporters directed their focus once again towards the top executive, the CEO, and sporting director, the director. A pair of displays, obviously sinister in tone, depicted the duo with targets on their images. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman thinks about the situation. After all, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an anonymous life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before fronting a acquisition of Rangers. Paying punters have not turned on Cavenagh so far but there is a rebellious mood in the air. This is easy to understand; The team’s management is completely unimpressive.

As if scripted, Chermiti was played in on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and found only the outside of the goal. This actually triggered Rangers’ best period of the match, in which their replacement the young midfielder fired just wide. It was, however, hard to determine Roma’s continued offensive intent until Zeki Celik was presented with a opportunity all of a yard out which he inexplicably lifted and onto the bottom of the crossbar.

That was it as far as clear-cut chances were concerned. The series of changes from each side meant this fixture closed more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. That scenario benefited Roma fine. There was cause to ponder how exactly the Glasgow club, finalists in this competition in recently and strong enough of the last eight a last year, arrived at the stage of just participating.