Rangers fell to yet another disappointing and spiritless defeat, this time in the UEFA Europa League, going down 2-1 to Austrian side Sturm Graz at a rainsoaked Merkur Arena.
Under-fire head coach Russell Martin and his side had finally won their first Scottish Premiership match at the weekend, a 2-1 victory away to Livingston courtesy of a last-minute Max Aarons goal, but they were brought right back down to earth in Europe tonight.
Martin made one change from that win, replacing Bojan Miovski with Yousef Chermiti up front while keeping the ten players behind him unchanged.
The former Southampton boss has been under heavy criticism from the Ibrox support, particularly for his style of play. Early on, Rangers showed some promise, going long to Chermiti up top, who initially held the ball up well.
However, they were quickly undone. A James Tavernier throw-in was intercepted by the Austrians, with one long, hopeful ball into the box finding forward Maurice Malone. Souttar was caught on the wrong side, and Malone cut the ball back to Tomi Horvat, who turned away from Jayden Meghoma before firing a shot straight at Jack Butland. The English keeper could only palm the ball into the net.
By conceding so early, Rangers also matched a historic defensive low, going 22 away games without a clean sheet, an unwanted record dating back to the 1890s, a Victorian-era mark not matched since before the days of football managers.
Rangers would recover somewhat, with Chermiti producing a trio of efforts on goal. He smacked the bar with a header, then tested Graz keeper Oliver Christensen twice: first with a backheel after excellent wing play from Djeidi Gassama, who reached the byline and cut back, and again after being played in on goal, firing straight at the keeper. The Portuguese forward has yet to silence critics of his £8m transfer fee, continuing his search for his first competitive first-team goal in over two years.
The horrific defence was caught out again for Graz’s second. Rangers opted to defend a free kick just inside their own half with a high line, but one quick pass along the deck down the wing found Georgian midfielder Otar Kiteishvili, who calmly slotted beyond Butland for 2-0.
Nicolas Raskin would fire over from the edge of the area before half-time, but Rangers looked desperate, out of ideas, and out of their depth as the interval approached.
Martin made a duo of changes at the break Miovski replacing Oliver Antman as Rangers went with two up top, with Meghoma sacrificed for Sunday’s hero Aarons, as Rangers went to a three at the back, pushing Tavernier forward, with Martin- yet again – changing his formation at the break.
Rangers would get back into the match, Raskin spraying a great ball out to Gassama on the left after an excellent Cruyff turn to get away from his man, the French winger continued his excellent European goal scoring record by cutting inside before beating Christiansen at his near post.
Derek Cornelius, now playing as an advanced left sided centre back, and Souttar would both go close with efforts in quick succession on the 75-minute mark, each forcing Christiansen into good stops as the Gers pressed for a leveller after dominating large spells of the second period.
Cornelius himself would be taken off for Mikey Moore, with Rangers adding more attackers to get a result, but would be short at the back, being cut open when Leon Grgić was played through on the break, but the teenagers effort was well saved by Butland.
Souttar would have a chance right at the death, the ball breaking to him on the edge of the six-yard area before the Scotland international blasted it towards goal but it was saved again by Christiansen.
In the end, despite a much improved second half, it would end in defeat again for Rangers and for Russell Martin, who at the moment, only seems to be getting at joy when he abandoned his well publicised tactical style and throws the kitchen sink forward.
We return to domestic action away to Falkirk on Sunday, as we look to make it three domestic wins on the bounce, and finally end this horrendous run of conceding away goals.