Rangers finally returned to winning ways and claimed their first three points at Ibrox this season with a 3–1 victory over Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership.
Danny Röhl, still fresh in the job after the bruising defeat to Brann midweek, picked up his first league win – matching Russell Martin’s Premiership tally after just one match – as Derek Cornelius, Danilo and Yousef Chermiti all found the net.
After being accused of lacking intensity and collective fight in Norway, Rangers started with greater purpose and urgency.
They were rewarded early when captain James Tavernier delivered a deep free-kick that was cleverly left by Danilo, allowing Cornelius to time his back-post run perfectly.
Completely untracked, the Canadian rose to plant a confident header beyond Eddie Beach.
However, hopes of a rare clean sheet quickly evaporated. Former Ayr United defender George Stanger pounced inside the box and smashed home past Jack Butland from close range, extending Rangers frustrating run of defensive lapses.
Cornelius thought he had restored the lead before half-time after bundling in from another set piece, but VAR ruled the goal out for offside against a teammate, leaving the match level at the interval.
Rangers responded well after the break. A superb cross from Jayden Meghoma on the left found Danilo unmarked between the centre-backs, and the Brazilian, restored to the starting XI after being largely frozen out, powered a header past Beach to mark his return to the first 11 with a goal.
The much-criticised Chermiti then made it three, ending a two-year wait for a league goal and scoring his first in Rangers colours. His strike from distance was parried by Beach but spun over the line, sparking a cathartic celebration from the Portuguese forward and an audible sense of relief around Ibrox.
There could have been a fourth late on when substitute Mikey Moore slipped Nico Raskin through on goal, only for the Belgian to be denied by the offside flag following a very lengthy VAR check.
With Celtic losing earlier in the day at Tynecastle, Rangers cut the gap on their Old Firm rivals to five points despite enduring their worst league start since 1978.
They now sit 13 behind Derek McInnes’s table-topping Hearts, but for the first time in weeks, there are signs of life in Rangers and under new head coach Röhl.
A reaction was demanded after Brann. At Ibrox, at least for now, there finally was one.