Attendance 46,900
Rangers chalked up their second successive 2-0 win
over Kilmarnock at Ibrox last night, on this occasion in
League business.
The second meeting of the two clubs inside four days
saw both managers ring the changes, Alex McLeish
making three changes with Frank De Boer, Emerson and
Michael Mols replacing Henning Berg, Mikel Arteta and
Shota Arveladze. Jim Jeffries for good measure made
four alterations with David Lilley, Kris Boyd, Rhian
Dodds and Colin Nish coming in for Gary Locke, Gary
McDonald, Gary McSwegan and Martin Hardie.
Rangers had an early penalty appeal waved aside when
Mols was pulled down by Barry McLaughlin as he homed
in on a Nuno Capucho pass.
Emerson – so often absent in recent months – was
prominent in the early stages, testing Dubourdeau four
minutes later with a low 22-yard drive from a Capucho
pass.
It was all one-way traffic, even if the lack of a
cutting edge was still the main Ibrox problem, yet the
opening goal was delayed no longer than 22 minutes
when a Ricksen free-kick was headed on by Ronald De
Boer at the near post, into the path of Craig Moore
who turned the ball over the line for his first goal
of the season.
Killie were doing their best to make a game of it,
Boyd’s 25-yard drive being deflected wide six minutes
later, but the bulk of the pressure was towards the
visitors’ goal, and Christian Nerlinger came close on
the half-hour when his header from a Maurice Ross
cross drifted just wide of the target.
The half ended with Rangers having just the one goal
to show for their undoubted superiority, although Mols
should have doubled the lead on the stroke of
half-time when, with the goal at his mercy following a
Capucho cross, he somehow managed to miss-head
completely.
There was a rousing interval reception for Ibrox
Legend Andy Goram as he made the lottery draw, but it
was back to the grim reality of the present upon the
resumption of play, Danny Invincible testing Stefan
Klos with a low drive from the edge of the penalty
area in 50 minutes.
Emerson was demonstrating that he still has much to
offer the club, his powerful shot on the hour finding
Dubourdeau equal to the task.
A one-goal lead is never enough, however, as was amply
illustrated three minutes later when Garry Hay struck
the crossbar with an inswinging cross.
Egil Ostenstad substituted for Mols in 65 minutes, and
then seven minutes later Nuno Capucho was stretchered
off following a bad tackle by Garry Hay for which the
Rugby Park man was yellow-carded.
Hamed Namouchi came on, and within three minutes
brought the house down with a superb second goal when,
released by a superb slide-rule pass from Emerson, he
coolly wrong-footed the defence by switching the ball
from one foot to the other before slotting the ball
home in 75 minutes.
2-0 ahead, Rangers played out time, and it only
remained for the impressive Emerson to be deservedly
named as ‘Man of the Match’.
Alex McLeish afterwards declared:
“I was pleased with a controlled, measured
performance. We played well. Emerson looked sharp –
he’s so strong at shutting people down. The fans
appreciate hard-working players.”
On Hamed Namouchi he said:
“He has a good presence, is a good athlete – he took
his goal well.
RANGERS Klos; Ross, F. De Boer, Moore, Ball; Capucho
(Namouchi 72), Ricksen, Emerson, Nerlinger; Mols
(Ostenstad 65), R. De Boer
UNUSED SUBS McGregor, Vanoli, Hutton
KILMARNOCK Dubourdeau; Lilley, McLaughlin, Hay, Greer;
Fowler, Skora, Invincible (Murray 67), Dodds (McDonald
83); Nish (McSwegan 63), Boyd
UNUSED SUBS Meldrum, Dindeleaux
REFEREE Mike McCurry