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There was impressive effectiveness in the way the Italian side dealt with this trip to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Rome did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their European competition bid back on track. There was a glaring difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers squad that has now lost a team record seven European games consecutively.

Positively, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when capitulation felt the probable outcome. However, the match was decided as a contest by then. Rangers remain anchored at the bottom of the tournament, which should constitute an embarrassment to a team of such stature. Roma have ambitions again on making proper impact. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a result appropriately depicting men against boys.

Surprisingly, this represented only Roma’s second continental encounter with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibs in the early 60s. The previous one, against the Terrors 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it politely) by the bribing of a referee. In those days, teams from Scotland could vie with the best in the continent. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient plunge to a point that will soon have huge consequences.

Danny Röhl’s main quality so far as the fanbase are see it is that he is not Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly spell as the manager continued for 123 days in the early part of the campaign. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a tiny sample size. The technical areas witnessed a generation game; Röhl is thirty-six, his opposite number Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

Another element was far more striking as the teams lined up. Rangers’ obvious short stature against the visitors looked ominous. That concern was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily redirected a set-piece at the near post. Following up, the Argentine winger burst forward to knock Roma ahead. A Roma team without the unavailable Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for bluntness even with decent results in this campaign, were pleased with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side could have levelled matters immediately. Rather, the forward sent his effort off target after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s eight-million-pound signing from the Toffees has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an effective centre forward but appears unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit dominated first-half the ball from that point. Roma extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will lament the fact the midfielder was left in blissful isolation but it was a superb finish. Ibrox, typically a boisterous place on European nights, had been quietened with time still remaining until halftime. The discontent which greeted the interval were subdued; Rangers were clearly in the process of being overwhelmed.

After the break started against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions for the latest time towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, the director. A pair of displays, clearly sinister in message, showed the pair with bullseyes on their images. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman makes of the situation. Ultimately, the chairman enjoyed an anonymous life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a acquisition of Rangers. Fans have not turned on Cavenagh so far but there is a rebellious mood around the club. It is one which is easy to understand; Rangers’ management is completely unimpressive.

Right on cue, the striker was played in on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and found only the side netting. This actually triggered the home side’s best period of the game, in which their substitute the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. It was, however, difficult to gauge Roma’s remaining offensive intent until the full-back was presented with a chance from close range which he somehow lifted and on to the underside of the bar.

That was it as far as meaningful chances were concerned. The series of substitutions from both teams meant this fixture ended more in the style of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. This of course suited Roma perfectly. There was cause to consider how on earth the Glasgow club, finalists in this competition in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, reached the stage of making up the numbers.