We face Motherwell later today in what will be new head coach Russell Martin’s first domestic match in the dugout.
Having not won an opening match since 2022, Rangers will be looking for a strong start under their new ownership as the new look Blues look to mount a serious title challenge for the first time since 2021/22.
Last time we faced Motherwell was back in March, in a match right in the middle of our record setting poor home run.
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The Steelmen arrived at Ibrox to face a Gers side then under the interim management of Barry Ferguson, having won only once at our home since 1997.
Luke Armstrong opened the scoring after a shaky moment from Jack Butland, and though the linesman initially flagged the goal offside, VAR gave it the goal.
Tom Sparrow then doubled their lead just before half-time, finishing coolly after some poor tracking from the Ibrox midfield.
Ellery Balcombe kept the Steelmen’s lead intact with a series of important saves, denying Mohamed Diomande, Cyriel Dessers, and Hamza Igagmane before the break.
Barry Ferguson responded with a triple substitution after the interval, bringing on Leon Balogun, Tom Lawrence, and Nedim Bajrami to try and spark a comeback.
We did get one back early in the second half when Dessers pounced on a pass from Ridvan Yilmaz, cutting the deficit to 2-1 and briefly raising hopes of a turnaround.
However, Rangers couldn’t find an equaliser despite Dessers scoring second later on but was flagged offside, allowing Motherwell to hold firm.
The final whistle confirmed another painful defeat at Ibrox, with Motherwell securing back-to-back wins on our home ground in what was a painful afternoon.
But today is a fresh start.
With Russell Martin stepping into the dugout for his first domestic game in charge, there’s a renewed sense of optimism around Ibrox.
The squad looks fresh, having defeated Greek side Panithanikos across two legs to advance to the next round of UEFA Champions League qualifying and they will be eager to turn the page on to a new era.
Rangers have not won an opening league match since Giovanni Van Bronckhorst’s tenure, but under new ownership and with Martin’s fresh ideas, there’s every reason to believe this season will be different.
Motherwell proved tough opponents last time, but today with renewed sense of hope, Rangers will be looking to make a strong statement and set the tone for the season ahead.
It’s time to remind everyone that we are the country’s dominant force, and lay down the first marker on our road back to the title, and back to being Scotland’s most successful club once again.