AliousRangers’ emphatic Scottish Gas Scottish Cup victory over Queen’s Park produced an early flashpoint that left a BBC pundit stunned live on air, as defensive lapses from the visitors were brutally exposed at Ibrox.
The Light Blues wasted no time asserting their authority on Sunday afternoon. Ryan Naderi, handed his first full start by Danny Rohl, opened the scoring early on as Rangers lined up in what appeared to be a 4-4-2 formation, with the German forward partnered alongside Bojan Miovski. From that moment on, the contest quickly turned one-sided.
Queen’s Park were overwhelmed in the opening half, with captain James Tavernier stealing the headlines by smashing in a first-half hat-trick. Rangers went into the break completely in control, having torn through a defence that struggled to cope with the pace and movement of Rohl’s side.
The goals kept flowing after the interval. Naderi added a second to his name before being withdrawn, while Matthew Shiels was unfortunate to divert the ball into his own net for Rangers’ fifth. Miovski also got among the goals, and Tochi Chukwuani capped off the afternoon with what many considered the pick of the bunch, as Rangers cruised to a devastating 8-0 win.
However, it was the opener that drew the harshest criticism. Former striker Steven Thompson did not hold back while analysing the goal on BBC Sportsound, tearing into Queen’s Park’s defending. Naderi was left completely free at the back post from a corner, allowing him the simplest of finishes in front of the Ibrox crowd.
Thompson described the moment as a nightmare start for the Championship side, pointing out that conceding so cheaply from a set-piece was inexcusable. He stressed that while teams can accept being beaten by moments of quality from open play, allowing an unmarked header from a corner represented a total breakdown in organisation.
Queen’s Park had famously enjoyed cup success last season, but this time the gulf in quality was painfully obvious. Rangers’ intensity and attacking depth proved far too much, and the early goal set the tone for a long afternoon for the visitors.
For Danny Rohl, the match underlined just how far his side have come. After a disastrous beginning to the campaign under Russell Martin, Rangers are now flying high in the William Hill Premiership and have reignited belief in a serious title push. Although their Premier Sports Cup journey ended at the hands of Celtic, hopes are high in Govan that the Scottish Cup could offer a different story.
Naderi, in particular, looks like a potential game-changer. Rohl had pushed hard to secure his signing during the winter window, and Rangers finally completed the deal in the closing hours of deadline day. With previous attacking options failing to deliver consistently, the German forward’s impact has already given fans reason for optimism.
Rangers’ January recruitment appears to have strengthened the squad significantly, and if Naderi continues in this vein, he could quickly establish himself as a new fan favourite at Ibrox. With plenty of football still to be played, Rohl will believe his side can reel in Hearts at the top of the table and mount a serious challenge deep into the cup competition.
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