Rangers obliterate 10-man Hibernian 6-1
By Joseph Sinke
Rangers built off of an impressive European outing by blasting Hibernian 6-1 at Ibrox in an impressive display of attacking power.
After uninspiring performances against Progres in Europe and Kilmarnock in the opening week of the Premiership, Rangers have bounced back with an incredible week as they follow up a 4-2 thumping of FC Midtjylland in Denmark with a 6-1 decimation of Hibernian at Ibrox.
The scoring got started early, with Jermaine Defoe getting on the score-sheet. Sheyi Ojo rifled a shot from outside the box that Ofir Marciano could only parry away and Defoe pounced on the rebound for an easy goal in the 9th minute.
Defoe followed it up shortly after in the 15th minute. First Jordan Jones made a hugely impressive and stylish run up the right side that included a nut-meg and made a nice pass to Shey Ojo who put passed it on the ground in front of the net for Defoe to tap in.
Rangers would keep on the pressure for all but a short stretch before half-time, creating many more chances that Rangers either couldn’t finish or forced impressive saves by Marciano.
In that lull at the end of the first half Hibernian got on the board as Scott Allan made an impeccable through-ball to Daryl Horgan who had a one on one with Allan McGregor and he put it into the net.
At halftime they went in with a 2-1 victory that had seen Rangers utterly dominate the half, but disappointed to give up a goal in a brief moment of slack.
When the second half started Rangers got back in control of the match, although they still couldn’t manage to break through with a goal. Then in the 55th minute Sean Mackie handled the ball for his second yellow of the match and was sent off.
At this point, Rangers took full control of the match and found a breakthrough as Defoe got his hattrick in the 74th minute via a header off a brilliant set-up from Steven Davis. With the match all but decided at 3-1 and Defoe having his hattrick, Alfredo Morelos came onto the pitch and picked right up where Defoe left off.
Alfredo Morelos, almost immediately after coming on, took the ball up the pitch and got a nut-meg of his own before blasting the ball near-post while off-balance to score a goal to make it 4-1. He scored another off of a Steven Davis pass that put him clear (and he may have been offsides) to make it 5-1.
Sheyi Ojo scored in the closing moments to make it 6-1 off of a rebound and that was the end of the match.
The match gives Rangers another great boost. After a hugely impressive outing in Denmark, Rangers get a blowout over a club they struggled mightily with last season.