Soulé and Lorenzo Pellegrini on target as Roma dominate Glasgow Rangers

Roma displayed admirable efficiency about the way the Italian side handled this trip to Glasgow. Without much drama. The team from Rome did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when putting their European competition bid on the right path. There was a obvious difference in class between Roma and a Rangers squad that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven European games consecutively.

To their credit, the home side at least fought hard during a second half when surrender felt the more likely option. However, the game was decided as a competition by then. Rangers remain rooted to the foot of the tournament, which should represent an embarrassment to a club of such stature. Roma have ambitions once more on making proper impact. Their only regret here was in not delivering a result appropriately depicting men against boys.

Surprisingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second-ever European joust with a team from Scotland since Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in the early 60s. Their last such match, against the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a referee. Back then, teams from Scotland could compete with the top sides in Europe. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient plunge to a level that will shortly have major consequences.

Danny Röhl’s main quality so far as the fanbase are concerned is that he is not Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly tenure as the manager lasted just over four months in the early part of the campaign. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a tiny sample size. The dugouts saw a generation game; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his counterpart the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was far more striking as the teams lined up. The home team’s obvious lack of height against the visitors looked worrying. That concern was proven within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante comfortably flicked on a corner at the near post. At the back, the Argentine winger burst forward to fire Roma ahead. A Roma team minus the injured their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge even with decent results in this campaign, were pleased with their early advantage.

Rangers could have levelled matters instantly. Rather, the forward sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s £8m signing from the Toffees has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physical attributes to be an effective striker but appears reluctant or incapable to use them.

Roma dominated opening period the ball from that point. Roma doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will lament the fact the midfielder stood in blissful isolation but it was a superb strike. The stadium, typically a boisterous place on continental evenings, had been silenced nine minutes until halftime. Even the boos which met the half-time whistle were timid; the home team were clearly in the process of being overwhelmed.

The second period began against a curious backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and transfer chief, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, obviously menacing in tone, depicted the duo with targets on their faces. One wonders what the club owner thinks about the situation. After all, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an low-profile life as a successful businessman in the United States before leading a takeover of this club. Fans have not targeted the owner yet but there is a rebellious feeling in the air. This is easy to understand; The team’s leadership is wholly unconvincing.

Right on cue, Chermiti was sent through on goal on the 60-minute mark and hit the outside of the goal. This actually triggered the home side’s best period of the match, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. It was, nonetheless, hard to gauge the visitors’ continued offensive intent until the full-back was given a chance all of a yard out which he inexplicably hit up and on to the bottom of the bar.

That was it as far as clear-cut opportunity were involved. The raft of changes from both teams meant this fixture closed more in the style of a summer exhibition than serious contest. This of course suited Roma perfectly. It prompted reflection to ponder how exactly the Glasgow club, finalists in this tournament in recently and worthy of the last eight a last year, reached the stage of making up the numbers.