Philippe Clement believes Rangers are continually improving after their hard-fought 1-0 away win over St. Johnstone on Sunday.
Former Rangers midfielder Jason Holt turned into his own net just past the hour as that own goal handed Clement's side their first away win in the Scottish Premiership since September.
It capped an improved week for Clement, whose side thrashed Nice in the Europa League on Thursday to move a step closer to the knockout stages.
Speculation had also grown over the future of under-fire Clement, though the Belgian believes his team are on the right track.
"At the end, it's also crucial to not concede chances," said Clement in his post-match press conference. "We have for the second time in a row only one shot on target from the opponent.
"Last week it was a goal. Now not. And we need to continue in that way, keeping clean sheets and being defensively strong.
"I don't speak only about the defence, it's the whole team working hard for that. I see a lot of improvements with all the squad in what they are doing. It's now continuing all these things.
"What we talked about the last weeks and months. The mistakes we made to take it out of the game, you see it less and less, and then to grow like that.
"And then in the final third to sometimes have better positioning, to sometimes have better decision-making also. It's still a work in progress."
Victory moved Rangers 11 points behind leaders Celtic and seven behind second-placed Aberdeen, who were held to a 1-1 draw away at Hearts on Sunday.
Leighton Clarkson opened the scoring in the first half, only for Aberdeen captain Nicky Devlin to turn into his own net after the interval.
That result left Aberdeen without a win in their last three games, though manager Jimmy Thelin vowed to get his side back on course.
"You can see the players have the fight for each other," Thelin told BBC Scotland. "They're really trying. I liked their approach, that they run so much. They keep running.
"We also need to find the rhythm again, the dynamic of the team. We have the quality, we just need to find the rhythm of the game again.
"Sometimes when the dynamic is there, you lose the ball and the opponents get the momentum too easily. That's the part we have to improve, because we have done it.
"We've taken points away from Hibernian and Hearts this week, that's a tough week. We want to get to Pittodrie and try again."
Jamaica's Cavalier FC make History with Concacaf Caribbean Cup triumph
Cavalier FC etched their name in Caribbean football history on Tuesday, becoming the first Jamaican club to claim the Concacaf Caribbean Cup since 2019 and only the third overall, following in the footsteps of Harbour View and Portmore United.
Despite a 2-1 defeat in the decisive second leg against the Dominican Republic’s Cibao FC at the Estadio Cibao FC, Cavalier secured the championship on the away goals rule after a 2-2 aggregate tie.
The Jamaican side entered the second leg with a slim 1-0 advantage, courtesy of Shaquille Stein’s goal in the first match in Kingston. However, Cibao FC, unbeaten through the semifinals, made an explosive start to the second leg in front of their fervent home crowd.
The hosts leveled the aggregate score in the 27th minute when Juan Díaz calmly converted a penalty, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Seconds later, Cibao seized the lead on aggregate as their leading scorer, Rivaldo Correa, nodded home a pinpoint cross from Ernesto Trinidad to make it 2-0 on the night.
Cavalier, however, refused to be rattled. In the 54th minute, Dwayne Atkinson, named Player of the Tournament, responded with a crucial strike, rifling the ball into the net to make it 2-2 on aggregate.
With that goal, Cavalier regained control of the series via the away goals rule, but from there, the contest became a test of their defensive mettle.
Cibao mounted relentless pressure, with José Barreto attempting a speculative long-range effort in the 70th minute, only for Cavalier’s goalkeeper Vino Barclett—later awarded Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament—to acrobatically tip the ball over the crossbar.
Orlando Russell came close to sealing the series for Cavalier in the 84th minute but narrowly missed the target.
Moments later, Cibao’s Eddipo Rodríguez unleashed a powerful shot from distance, forcing another crucial save from Barclett.
The drama intensified in the dying moments as Cavalier’s Jalmaro Calvin found himself unmarked inside the penalty area but was denied by the right post.
Cibao’s final flurry in stoppage time was neutralized by Barclett, who made his third save of the night, clutching the ball to signal the end of the contest and spark jubilant celebrations for Cavalier.
Cavalier’s triumph marked the culmination of a remarkable campaign in which they showcased resilience, tactical acumen, and individual brilliance. In fact, it was no surprise that the Rudolph Speid-coached team swept the tournament’s individual awards.
This, as Jalmaro Calvin won the Youth Revelation Award; Vino Barclett copped the Best Goalkeeper Award; Shaquille Stein won the Golden Boot; and Dwayne Atkinson was named Player of the Tournament. The Cavalier also took home the Fair Play Award.
Having finished runners-up in 2023, Atkinson pointed out that Cavalier’s journey to the 2024 title was a story of redemption as the team demonstrated their growth and maturity by handling the pressure of playing in hostile territory and prevailing on the grand stage.
“We kept our composure. They were leading us two-love, but we knew we needed only one (goal), and we came back and got the job done, and we kept a clean sheet in the second half,” Atkinson said.
“The most difficult moment was when they led us 2-0; our heads were down, but we came back in the second half and regrouped and kept fighting, and we give God thanks. The goal gave us the momentum to keep fighting, and we came out victorious. This is one of my biggest dreams in my career. It’s a very proud moment for me, my coach, and all the fans from Jamaica. So we will give God thanks and celebrate,” he added.
With this victory, Cavalier secured a coveted spot in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, entering the tournament in the Round of 16. Their achievement also signals a resurgence of Jamaican football at the regional level after Harbour View’s triumphs in 2004 and 2007, and Portmore United’s 2005 and 2019 wins.
Haiti's Real Hope FA secure third place in Carib Cup and historic Champions Cup berth
Haitian club Real Hope FA clinched a 3-2 victory over Dominican Republic’s Moca FC in the second leg of the Concacaf Caribbean Cup third-place series at Estadio Moca 85 on Tuesday.
The win secured a 4-2 aggregate triumph and confirmed Real Hope’s place in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, marking their first-ever appearance in the prestigious tournament.
Entering the second leg with a 1-0 lead from the first encounter, thanks to Stanley Joseph’s lone goal, Real Hope FA capitalized on their advantage. While Moca FC pushed for an early breakthrough, it was the visitors who looked more composed in the first half.
Huguens Michel nearly doubled Real Hope’s aggregate lead in the 38th minute with a curling free kick that rattled the right post, leaving the home crowd relieved but wary of the threat posed by the Haitian team.
However, the breakthrough for Real Hope came in the 66th minute, when Angelo Exilus finished off a swift counterattack with a precise right-footed strike inside the box.
That goal not only extended their aggregate lead to 2-0 but also placed significant pressure on the hosts. However, they responded just five minutes later, when Guillermo de Peña unleashed a powerful left-footed strike from the edge of the box in the 71st minute to equalize on the night and breathe life into the Dominican side’s comeback hopes.
De Peña struck again in the 79th minute, this time he converted from close range after a well-placed header by Gustavo Ascona. His second goal of the night tied the aggregate score at 2-2 but left Moca still needing another goal to overturn Real Hope’s crucial away-goal advantage.
Real Hope FA, undeterred by Moca’s resurgence, reclaimed control in the closing stages as Daniel Saint-Fleur delivered a stunning strike from outside the box in the 90th minute.
Rapha Intervil then added the finishing touch in stoppage time, calmly slotting home from close range after being set up by Rikanel Chery in the 90+5 minute to cap a memorable night for Real Hope.
With the 4-2 aggregate win, Real Hope FA not only claimed third place in the tournament but also earned their debut qualification for the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Kingston College book Manning Cup final berth with 2-0 win over Hydel High
Kingston College (KC) continued their quest for schoolboy football supremacy with a composed 2-0 victory over Hydel High in the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup semifinal at the National Stadium on Tuesday.
A brace from Guyanese forward Matrim Martin (16th and 90+1) secured the North Street-based school's place in Friday’s final, where they will aim to cop a 17th Manning Cup lien, having last triumphed in 2021.
They will meet first-time finalists St Catherine High in the 6:15pm showpiece.
Though not entirely pleased with performance, Kingston College’s Head coach, Vassell Reynolds, welcomed the victory, as they are now within touching distance of adding another Manning Cup title to their storied history.
“I am a little bit disappointed, especially with the first half, because the last three games we performed very well, and we were banking on the fact that we would have carried it over to the semi-final. But maybe they were a little bit nervous because this team knocked us out at the same stage last year, but we wanted to win and we got that, so I am very proud of the boys,” Reynolds said.
Both teams began the match with energy and intent, but it was Kingston College that carved out the first meaningful chance. Martin’s firm header in the early minutes forced Hydel goalkeeper Idrian Robinson into action, signaling Kingston College’s attacking intentions.
Their persistence paid off in the 16th minute when Hydel’s defence failed to clear their lines under pressure, and Martin capitalized with a precise strike from the top of the 18-yard box, sending the Kingston College supporters into raptures.
Hydel had a golden opportunity to respond just four minutes later when a defensive mix-up in Kingston College’s backline gifted Sean-John Curchar a chance from point-blank range. However, the centre forward fired high, letting Kingston College off the hook.
Though both teams continued to show attacking ambition, they struggled to convert half-chances into goals as Kingston College remained 1-0 up at the break.
It was more of the same after the interval, with both teams displaying flashes of attacking promise but lacking the finishing touch.
Kingston College came close to doubling their lead in the 69th minute when Kamaul Patterson broke free behind defenders, only for Robinson to leave his line well and deny the effort.
Hydel, desperate to find an equaliser, had their best chance in the 87th minute. A long cross found an unmarked D’Sean Henry at the far post, but his tame header was comfortably gathered by Kingston College’s goalkeeper, Malique Williams.
The game’s decisive moment came in the dying embers of stoppage time when Martin outsprinted two Hydel defenders and fired a powerful low shot past Robinson at the near post to seal the Purples victory.
It was another heartbreak for Hydel’s Head coach, Devon Anderson, who consistently failed to get over the semi-final hurdle.
“I am very much disappointed. It seems like this is a very familiar place for me to come knock at the door, and the door is still closed. But that’s just the game; if you don’t execute, you don’t win,” Anderson noted.
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