Rangers

Rangers fought back for a 2-1 victory on Sunday, with Cyriel Dessers and Nedim Bajrami on target one day after Celtic trounced Aberdeen 6-0 in the first semi-final.

Dessers converted Connor Barron's cross to level things up in the 49th minute, then Bajrami saw his strike deflect home nine minutes from time to ease the pressure on Clement.

The Gers have endured a difficult Premiership season to date and trail rivals Celtic, who they will face in the League Cup final on December 15, by nine points in the table.

Clement, however, believes they can achieve big things if they replicate the performance they produced at Hampden Park on a regular basis.

"We can go where we want to be, which is the final," he told Premier Sports.

"We had that amazing feeling together with the fans last season and we can battle for that again. 

"This needs to be also a reference game for this squad, for this new squad.

"To do what we've been doing a lot last season, to dig in and in every situation to keep our belief, to keep on going, to keep on fighting and to break the wall if we go behind... 

"This can be a massive game at the end of the season to have this one as a reference. I want to see, every three days, this mentality."

The 38-year-old Northern Irishman, who had two fruitful spells as a player at Ibrox, was invited by the Gers board on Sunday evening to take the reins until they appoint a new permanent boss.

Davis will be assisted by fellow former Rangers players Alex Rae and Steven Smith, as well as coach Brian Gilmour and goalkeeping coach Colin Stewart.

“I’m very honoured,” he told Rangers TV on Monday. “The call came out of the blue a little bit. I wasn’t expecting it but I’d just like to try and repay the trust the club have shown by putting me in this position.

“Obviously it’s not a position we would like to be in, we’re disappointed with where we’re at at this moment in time but I’m really looking forward to the challenge.

“I’m delighted to get the opportunity. I believe in the group we’ve got. Things haven’t gone the way we would have liked and we find ourselves in this situation but I’m sure with ourselves and the fans pushing in the same direction we can go on and get some good results.”

Beale paid the price for a dismal start to the season, with Rangers third in the cinch Premiership – behind St Mirren – and seven points adrift of city rivals Celtic after three defeats in seven league matches.

In addition, they suffered a 7-3 aggregate defeat by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League play-off round in August, with a raft of summer signings having failed to shine so far.

Davis and the rest of the interim coaching staff must rouse the team following Saturday’s humiliating 3-1 defeat at home to Aberdeen as they prepare to head to Cyprus to face Aris Limassol in the Europa League on Thursday.

Rangers’ next league match is away to second-placed St Mirren on Sunday before the international break brings a fortnight in which they can try to regroup and bed in a new manager.

“Ultimately we have to get results first and foremost at a club like Rangers,” said Davis. “I just want to try and get some pride back in terms of the way we play and try and get the boys’ confidence back as well.

“We’ve got a really good group here. I see the level of application here, I’ve been in and around it long enough with the majority of them, so I just want to get that belief back in the team and give them a platform to go and show their best performances.”

Davis is unlikely to be considered for the role on a permanent basis, with Kevin Muscat, Chris Wilder and Frank Lampard among those having been linked with the vacancy in the aftermath of Beale’s exit.

However, the Northern Irishman intends to use his spell in charge as a learning curve.

“Management was something I’ve considered for further down the line,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting this opportunity, it hadn’t crossed my mind, but it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.

“It’s going to be a great experience for me and I’m really looking forward to the challenge. Everybody knows what the club means to me. My approach is just going to be the same as I was as a player, and that’s just to give it my best. Hopefully that will be good enough.”

Beale wished Rangers well for the future as he issued a social media post within hours of his sacking backing the Ibrox club to get back on track.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx4Ku0AoE86/?hl=en

The 43-year-old took to Instagram in the early hours of Monday morning to wish Davis all the best.

“Thank you @RangersFC to everyone behind the scenes at the training ground and Ibrox, to the board, staff, fans and all the players,” he wrote. “I will always follow and support the club from afar and wish you every success.

“Now is the time for everyone to unite fully behind Steven Davis and the team in the coming games.

“There is still so much to play for this season and I have a strong belief in this group of players. Thank you and good luck.”

The incident happened during Rangers' 2-0 Europa League defeat, at the hands of the Czech side, back in March.  Roofe was given a straight red card after firmly planting the bottom of his boots into the face of the keeper as the duo clashed in an aerial duel.

Kolar was left with lacerations and a fractured skull, but Rangers believed the punishment taken against the player was too harsh.  UEFA, however, upheld the decision.

“The appeal lodged by Rangers FC has been dismissed,” the release read.

“Consequently, the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body's (CEDB) decision of 13 April 2021 is confirmed,” it continued.

 “The CEDB had decided to suspend Rangers FC player, Mr. Kemar Roofe, for four (4) UEFA club competition matches for which he would be otherwise eligible, for dangerously assaulting another player.”

The UK-born Roofe, who is believed to be in the process of securing documentation to represent the Jamaican national team, will miss the start of Rangers’ Champions League qualifying bid, which kicks off on August 3.

The Norwich City loanee, who arrived from Carrow Road in February on a deal until the end of the season, was the hero at Hampden Park as the Scottish Premiership champions completed the double in dramatic fashion.

Substitute Idah reacted quickest in the 90th minute, with the final goalless and seemingly heading for extra-time, pouncing on the loose ball to slot away the rebound after Jack Butland could only parry Paulo Bernardo's fierce strike.

And the Republic of Ireland international revealed his joy at delivering the goods for Brendan Rodgers' side at such a crucial moment.

"I came here to try and score as many goals as I can," he told BBC Scotland. "I didn't think I’d score a goal like this, in front of all these fans – it's an amazing feeling.

"It's hard to put it into words. Everyone can see what it means to the players, the fans. Especially from a boy, being Irish, always supporting Celtic, it's amazing.

"Football's a tricky situation. I do love it here. It's a great club. I'm still contracted with Norwich City, who knows what will happen?"

Meanwhile, skipper Callum McGregor saluted the character demonstrated by his team-mates in securing the double against their bitter rivals.

"The mentality in this group, inside this building, inside this club, the fanbase – we just want to win trophies," he said.

"We know it's never going to be perfect, you're never going to turn up in all the cup finals. Rangers are a good team, they made it a good old-fashioned derby game, big tackles in there.

"But this group – they find the moment of quality, they stick together and they come out winners.

"Honestly, I’m delighted. If we turned up today and didn't win, everyone forgets about the league, we understand the pressure we're under."

The 49-year-old Belgian was appointed as Michael Beale’s successor last Sunday and he was given a huge ovation from the Light Blues fans before the game in which the Gers began in a more energetic and direct fashion.

Attacker Abdallah Sima sped away in the 17th minute to score in a fifth consecutive game before Belgian midfielder Nicolas Raskin drilled in a second from distance just before the interval.

Sima added a third in the 65th minute to make it nine for the season and striker Cyriel Dessers got a close-range goal 10 minutes from time.

Although it was far from complete performance from Rangers, the Easter Road side’s six-game unbeaten run – five under Nick Montgomery – was emphatically ended.

Rangers moved four points behind Celtic who play Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday and while title hopes still need nursing, the Gers fans can take encouragement from the performance and win.

There was much interest in Clement’s first team selection but due to injury issues his options were limited.

Winger Scott Wright returned from suspension and midfielder Sam Lammers and Dessers came back in while fit-again Todd Cantwell, Ryan Jack and Danilo started on the bench.

Montgomery drafted in veteran defender Paul Hanlon for his 550th appearance and attacker Adam Le Fondre for what shaped up to be his toughest test so far as Easter Road boss.

There was a new figure in the Rangers technical area but the supporters were still suspicious of the players who had underperformed this season.

From the fans perspective there was an immediate and much-desired increase in tempo with the ball getting moved forward quicker.

Lammers took a defence-splitting pass from skipper James Tavernier in the seventh minute but his shot was blocked for a corner by Hibs defender Will Fish which came to nothing.

The game was already open and at the other end, Gers keeper Jack Butland gathered an angled-drive from Dylan Vente before left-back Borna Barisic picked up an injury and had to be replaced by Ridvan Yilmaz.

A Dessers shot was saved by Hibs keeper David Marshall but he had no chance when Sima combined with Dessers moments later and burst through the middle of the Hibees defence to drive low into the far corner.

In the 27th minute, after a melee in the Hibs penalty area, there was a VAR check for a possible penalty when the ball appeared to strike Joe Newell’s arm before Sima’s shot went past the post but referee Don Robertson was told to play on.

Just before the break, as possession changed hands 25 yards from the Hibs goal, Raskin took matters into his own hands when he thundered a low shot past Marshall.

Rangers kept up the pace in the second half and in the 53rd minute, following another swift Gers break, Dessers stabbed a Wright cut-back into arms of Marshall with Sima waiting by his side to finish.

Moments later, Lammers smashed a shot against the post from eight yards, after Dessers had robbed Hanlon, before Cantwell replaced Wright.

Sima’s goal came when Dessers took a brilliant Lammers pass, rounded Marshall but saw his shot blocked on the line before the Brighton loanee hammered it high into the net.

There was still plenty time remaining and when Cantwell slipped a clever ball into Dessers 10 yards from goal, he side-footed it past the helpless Marshall to complete an invigorating afternoon for anyone of a Light Blue persuasion.