Rangers Disappoint Again, Fall 0-1 To Aberdeen

Rangers were defeated at Ibrox for the first time this season in disappointing fashion. Falling 0-1 to Aberdeen in Scottish Premiership play.

Rangers came into the match riding high atop the Scottish Premiership table, having soundly won their previous four matches in Scotland. A 2-0 win over St Mirren, a 7-1 victory over Motherwell, a 3-0 victory over Livingston, and a 2-1 victory over Hearts of Midlothian. Having not lost at Ibrox all season, Rangers were poised to avenge their Betfred Cup loss to Aberdeen.

It just wasn’t to happen in this match, which was so ugly it was hardly even a football match.

According to official records, there were a whooping 37(!!) fouls called in the match which included a player from each side, Cosgrove and Morelos, being sent off. It was an ugly game from start to finish and Rangers just couldn’t find the break-through.

Aberdeen scored in the opening moments of the match, when McKenna scored on a volley off of a corner kick in the 7th minute. It wasn’t a terrible defensive breakdown by Rangers, simply a brilliant bit of finishing. The sort that Rangers just couldn’t find.

Most of the rest of the match, both in terms of possession, shots, and good chances, was dominated by Rangers, and yet they just could not quite push through the mud that Aberdeen had created to find the breakthrough.

Alfredo Morelos really blew the game by being sent off in remarkably silly fashion by throwing an elbow after the ball had already been passed. Simply unacceptable.

A disappointing outcome, but it is worth noting that these games do sometimes happen in football. All the opportunities are yours, but the bounces go against you. The loss is made both easier and more disappointing by Celtic drawing against Motherwell. On one hand the loss will not cause Rangers to start falling too far behind, on the other hand, they had a chance to really start to pull ahead.